A couple of recent journal pages...

Practice in Underpainting

I've been dabbling with paint for almost a year now. I just learned of this thing called underpainting. I learned of it in a Life Book lesson by Jane DesRosier. I love her work so much. So, I had to try this out (even though I didn't do my Life Book lesson yet) I almost like the underpainting better than the end product. I'm still practicing a lot with getting the skin to blend and have depth. It's eluding me at the moment.

On Taste

A few recent journal pages.

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” ― Ira Glass

I've referenced this quote a while back, but I posted the video. It is in reference to producing, but pretty much applies to any creative journey. I'm really not liking what I'm creating, and getting somewhat discouraged. I hear the key is to just keep going, so I'm going to try that out.

Workaholic: The Wrong Badge of Honor

My daughter, Sam, Has written a post over at the Good Women Project. It has nothing to do with art, but everything to do with the he{art}, which is what art is all about anyway.

"Because in the end, God wants me. Not my accomplishments, my independence, my pride. He wants my heart. And taking care of the heart He’s given me is way more important than chasing after the things I think the world wants of me."

Summer Bible Study

Hey all! My daughter, Sam, and I are going to be doing a summer bible study called Nehemiah, A Heart That Can Break. We would love to invite any of you to join us. Sam and I will be meeting by video conference through Google Hangout weekly and also connecting with the women over at the Eisy Morgan blog as a small group through a discussion forum. The larger study is being organized through Beth Moore's blog. You can join us in either or both portions - through Google Hangout or the discussion forum or both. You would just need to purchase the member book ($12.95 plus shipping from Amazon or Lifeway or a local bookstore) and meet up with us weekly. The kickoff is June 26th, but you don't need your book until the following week, so there's still time. Contact me by email or leave a comment below if you are interested. Here's an excerpt from the book...

"As God is forming me into a more whole and free woman, I've begun to realize that freedom and healing aren't just so I can have exquisite friends, dwell in a peaceful home, attend an amazing church, make a comfortable salary, and eat tick-fed chicken. These are sublime  blessings, but Christ has made us whole for far more than our own earthly comforts and pleasures. Essentially, wholeness is not the end but the beginning, because wholeness allows us to give much more of our hearts, possessions, time, wisdom, money, friendship, and love away -- a part of my Christianity that had been lacking.

... Today I invite you to follow God outside of yourself. To consider the needs that surround you, and to listen closely to what breaks your heart. Because a broken heart is often the very thing God uses to restore the broken." 

Also, don't forget that you can receive an email every time I post a new blog by clicking on the button on the right that says "Follow me by email". You will be sent an email after you register to confirm your email address. You have to follow through with this second step to finalize the process.

A little of what I've been up to...

To Have Faith is to Have Wings

Finished this gal up a while ago and finally got a decent pic of her. She's on a 5 x 7 cradled wood panel. Lots of layers of paper and paint,  chipboard and a little metal daisy.

Just Be

I have been struggling lately to connect with my art after a month long hiatus. For this piece, I just played and focused on enjoying the process with no outcome in mind. Just be-ing.

I've been thinking about friendship lately and I'm so thankful for being so blessed in that department. There were several years of my life where I really didn't have any friends and was quite isolated... well, that's an understatement. I was just flat out lonely until my second child was about 1 or 2... he's 17 now! About the time I really started searching spiritually... started opening my heart to God... started opening my heart, period... that's when it happened. Since then, I have had some incredible women in my life. They've been with me at my worst and they are still coming around. Loving me no matter what. Letting me be who I am. Growing with me. Crying with me. Laughing with me. Waiting on me when I throw my walls back up... when I isolate myself again. I've moved several times, and each place I landed, I found new sisters. Because that's what they truly are... sisters. They will be with me to the very end. My heart longs to be near them... each one at different times. I'm separated from most of them by many miles... but our hearts are never far apart. I love you girls - Missy, Celestina, Melodee, Jerri, Sharon, Bridget, Kathy, Dianna, Louise. And, you know... my daughter is now making the transition from being my little girl to being my friend. She's growing up and our relationship is changing. I'm looking forward to seeing what it becomes. So, I'm sticking her on this list too... Sam. :)

More Stamp Carving

More stamps! I've actually been using them a lot in the layers of the my paintings. Love the two flowers and the large stamp for background texture.

Halo

Well, I'm getting my hands dirty and playing in paint... feels good! This piece I did about a month and a half ago. I was thinking about my husband as I worked on this piece... exit now if you are allergic to mushiness...

I'm finding that music really has a strong effect on what I'm working on. I am beginning to find it very important to fit the music to my mood and thoughts. If it doesn't match up... well, I kind of end up with a very disjointed piece. This one was Halo... I just really appreciate my man and really relate to that song. I added the lyrics to the background although I don't think they are legible. :)

So, on I go... trying to get back to play... stop trying so hard... kick the perfectionist out.... just be present today... here and now... just be...

In Progress

I've been away far too long... feels like I'm lost in the dark.

Stamp Carving

Sometimes, when I'm just to tired to paint, I really enjoy doing repetitive tasks like stamp carving. It allows me to create without using so much energy. I did these last night to use in the backgrounds and layers of my paintings. And maybe even to make patterns like this.

Building a Creatively Made Business

Hi all... Just a quick note to share that I won a spot in Jeanne Oliver's new E-Course, Building a Creatively Made Business! Just wanted to express my thanks to Jeanne and say hello and welcome to those of you popping over from her site. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Savor the Journey

4 1/2 x 6 inches, Acrylic and Watercolor Over Collage on Mixed Media Paper

These are a couple of postcard size pieces I did recently. This first one I am entering into the Artist in Blogland's monthly challenge. The theme is Journey this time around. I've recently started helping out over there with the monthly theme and the artist interviews. Be sure to drop by and check out the other entries. There are some fabulously talented artists over there.

I find that I am often worrying and fretting over the future and things that are out of my control. It's so hard to live in the moment and let the rest go. So, one of the things I try to focus on in living in the moment; savoring the journey. I just shared the verse below with a loved one who is having a tough time right now. I think it's just as much for me as it was for him as I'm anxious too!


Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7

4 1/2 x 6 inches, Acrylic and Watercolor Over Collage on Mixed Media Paper

I'm also linking up to Show and Tell Saturday, Sunday Sketches and Paint Party Friday. Hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend!

More ATCs

More ATCs from my Community Hub over at Mystele's ning site. These were so much fun to do. You can still sign up for a free hub if you are interested. ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) are basically just miniature works of art with a standard size of 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches. They are also referred to art card editions and originals (ACEOs) when offered for sale. Of coures mine are not flat so I think that kicks them out of the "standard" category

I managed to limit myself to  big red hair on only one of them. It's pretty obvious from most of my other work that this big pink and/or red hair is a big deal to me. I have no idea what that's about. Curly hair has been an issue all my life. Thankfully I was in high school in the late 80's when the big hair was in. My hair was so curly that I still straightened it a little to be in style, lol. But all of my growing up years involved hating my hair. Then, I still straightened it trough most of my 20's. In my late 20's I finally just embraced it and now I love it. It's so much easier to take care of (once I finally learned how). But the pink/red.... no idea why I can't restrain myself, lol.

I'm linking these up to Sunday Sketches and Inspire me Monday. Hop over there to see some other great entries!


Lots of pics to follow...

Life Book Lesson 5

I'm taking a class called Life Book that lasts throughout 2012. I'm behind and have been doing the lessons out of order. This is lesson involved doing an image transfer of my own face and then painting over it.

What a hoot! I always wanted pink hair! I outlined the main features in the photo and then painted as I would any other portrait. It really helps to have a face to sketch over and the end result just fascinates me.

I'm linking this up to Paint Party Friday. Thanks for stopping by.

The original

Trust in the Lord

A couple of weekends ago, I created this project for my daughter's birthday. I really had fun with this and I really loved adding all the embellishments. I've added two slideshows below. One shows more pics and closeups and the other shows my progress throughout the painting. You can click through to my Flickr to see them as well: pics and progress.

I started out by collaging the base with a few things that would be meaningful to my daughter. The first was a page from a dollar store bible. The second was a piece of sheet music from her trombone book (she's a music education major). The third was a copy of a poem written by her great-great-great grandmother. Because these things were all so important, I wanted to try to keep them showing through.

The embellishments were really fun and a great way to use some of the stash I've built up. The sentiment is actually the title from a piece of vintage sheet music I bought at a library book sale. That is definitely the place to go for some bargain ephemera! The blue flower I made myself using a satin fabric and singeing the edges over a candle flame.

Artists in Blogland's monthly theme for March is "Passions" and this fits the bill for me. As I delve into my art, connecting to the things that are meaningful to me is the most important aspect. Connecting with the past (grandma) and the future (my daughter), finding my place in this world, living in the moment, appreciating the beauty around me, enjoying the journey, truly knowing myself, connecting with another heart, laughing, listening to the Whisper in the Wind.... What sets your heart on fire? Find it and never stop chasing it.

Grandma's signature: Mrs Bertha Myers Allemang

I'm linking this up with Paint Party Friday (who has a new "featured artist" series they are doing each week), Sweet Saturdays, Artists in Blogland Show and Tell Saturday,  and Sunday Sketches. Pop over and see some other great artists and creators.

More Pics

Progress Pics

Dream

This is a fun little piece that I did in the Community Hub over at Mystele's ning site. She is focusing on skin tones which I'm pretty excited about. This is an ATC size (only 2.5 x 3.5 inches) using chipboard that I got from packaging as the base with fabric collaged over the top. The class is wonderful and I'm looking forward to more practice. I really enjoyed embellishing it. So fun to add all the little touches.

I'm keeping her where I can see her as a little reminder to follow my dreams.

I'm linking up with Inspire Me Mondays, and Make Something Monday.

Beloved

It's often so easy to beat myself up in my thoughts. I accept defeat without even trying. I decided that every time I caught myself in one of those negative thought patterns, I would write down the opposite and see what I came up with. Well, here's a few from my list.


I'm linking up to Paint Party Friday. Check out the other great artists over there!

Edit:
I thought I should add a little about my process. The background is collaged with a dollar store bible page. I've used Adirondack Colorwash Spray in butterscotch and some red acrylic for texture. The face is mostly done with acrylics along with some Faber-Castell Pitt Big Brush Pens. Still experimenting with the hair. I've used red acrylic for the base and then, using a brush, added strands in Adirondack Colorwash Spray Espresso and Butterscotch and some Bombay Indian Ink in red.

InLinkz.com

Anger

I had some unusual events the week I painted this and had some emotions to work through. It amazes me that my feelings can show through in a piece without necessarily trying. I only discovered this world of art - creating my own original work - in August of last year. I wish I had known about it many years ago. It has been the most wonderful way to work through some deep stuff.