Finding The Gift

2017 has NOT been a healthy year in review,

Started with bronchitis and ended with the flu…

Had a big toe fusion and was rear-ended too,

Worked way too much which made me feel blue.

       Still I managed to blog almost every day,

       Created my weird birds every Wednesday.

       100 mixed-media faces and 50 fish, YAY!

       Art experiments in the spirit of play.

2018 starts with a few goals, sincere –

Take care of my body, like a friend who is dear.

Notice the small gifts of JOY that appear,

Live my life with clear intention this year!

This poem was recently inspired by this article in Uppercase Magazine, written by Melanie Falick on living with intention.

 

And this book I purchased from Amazon, Finding The Gift, by Angela Howell with daily meditations for mindfulness.

I look forward to the small gems that I learn from this book to share with you on my art journey in 2018, after all, finding the gifts is part of the fun!

Wishing you all a happy, creative and healthy 2018!

Cheers! 🙂

50 Fish FINale

YAY! I did it!!  🙂  I created 50 fish on Instagram before October 31st!!  WHOOT!!

Perhaps you remember the art challenge with two creative friends started on September 1st that I told you about here, Catch The Fun

I enjoyed creating a fish almost every day in a different art medium.  (Click on “Fish” in the drop down of catagories on the right of your screen to see more).  It became a real challenge to come up with a new way to create a fish each day!

Some fish, I wanted to throw back into the creative pool…

And some I envisioned differently…

But I decided as long as I was having fun…

Then I was HAPPY!

My FINished fish with a little Halloween twist!

Happy fishing!!

Cheers! 🙂

100 Days Of Drawing Faces

I posted my 100th face on Instagram yesterday!  WHOOT!  😊 I accomplished my goal of drawing 100 faces in a little over 100 days… Phew!!

Maybe some of you recall my first face I posted on April 4th – it was a quick sketch in one continuous line:

100 days is A LOT especially when I am working full-time… (What was I thinking?!) and yet having limited time helped me to accomplish my goal because I didn’t have time to fuss over it.

I didn’t post everything I did like this one:

I would have liked to have more time to do more like this one, where I mixed collage and acrylics:

But I enjoyed trying a variety of art mediums:

Sprinkled with a little humor:

I think this one is one of my favorites – Picasso style:

And this one I did in watercolor with drips for hair:

I found I could draw more realistic looking faces and even my own – or at least my better half!  Lol! 🙂

I think the greatest lesson I learned is that it isn’t perfection that matters but PRACTICE!!  Daily practice does make a difference….

Especially in finding ones “style” in art!  I found I really liked creating “characters” rather than REAL people:

And yet, drawing a variety really is the best teacher!  Here is my 100th face:

I’m sure it won’t be my last…

Yet, let’s FACE it, I need a little break from drawing faces!

Cheers! 🙂

World Watercolor Month Starts July 1st

I had so much fun participating in World Watercolor Month last July that I decided to purchase a few new art supplies in anticipation for this July.

I splurged on a Stillman and Birn mixed media art journal from Amazon and decided to try a couple different brands of watercolor paint.  I also purchased a Quill watercolor brush.  Here are my supplies:

I couldn’t wait to try out my new journal so I had to splash some paint inside before I left for work!

Charlie O’Shields at https://doodlewash.com has been busy updating his blog and I must admit it looks soooo cool!  I hope you check out, “World Watercolor Month,” at the top of his page and subscribe to his blog.  Charlie always has an interesting story to share with his amazing watercolor paintings! 🙂

Perhaps you remember some of my watercolor posts from last July:

I really enjoyed painting the natural beauty around me when I was at the lake.  And I hope to continue this year plus add a few faces to the mix!

Back to this morning’s journal; I added these letters to my painting:

And splashed on more watercolor…

I will add some doodles to my letters and show you my results later…

I hope you will join me in celebrating World Watercolor Month.

Cheers! 🙂

Stop A Moment

I created this journal page before my surgery using this foam stamp, that I showed you how to make previously here.

Instead of using paint, I stamped my paper with gesso and then finished it with watercolor.

Today, I wrote this quote by Leo Tolstoy:

I have been forced to stop a moment as I recover from foot surgery and I miss my daily art practice a great deal.  I realize it has only been a week since the surgery yet I long to be able to sit again at my art table without my foot screaming in pain.  I must be patient…

Taking a break does have a positive aspect too as it allows time for me to evaluate where I am currently on my art journey and where I would like to be headed in the future.

Do you take the time to assess your creative practice from time to time?  I realize that it’s not easy for me to do this assessment but important.

Cheers!  🙂

Do You Remember?

I was recently struggling on how to paint this rose, do you remember?  Well, I decided to take this photo on a cloudy day so I had less shadows:

This helped me to see the STAR of the show – the rose and not the leaves, as Debi Riley so kindly suggested to me.  Thanks Debi!  🙂

I also appreciated the idea from Judith at Artistcoveries to do a value study first.  So I did this with my computer by printing my image in color and then in black and white:

Drawing the rose shape with a black pen on top of the black and white image also helped me see my subject better.

Next, I decided to use a stencil of my rose to create these studies in my turquoise journal that I previously shared with you:

The rose image on the left is from a stencil like I did here and the image on the right is a gelli-print like I did here.

Today, I started a watercolor painting on Aquabord inspired by Laura at Create Art Everyday who has been experimenting on this surface:

It is only the beginning of my painting but I wanted to share it with you.  I hope to experiment with adding collage too!

I just wanted you to know that I remember ALL your kind comments and encouragement in my art journey!!  🙂

I don’t always have the time to comment on your art like I wish I could but please know I appreciate YOU!

Thanks Friends!!  🙂