Friday, August 12, 2011

Coyote Girl


It took me forever to create Coyote Girl. The beginning was easy - acrylic paint on a canvas, paint a sun, use heavy body acrylics to get some texture on the "ground", outline the girl... but finding some fabric for her dress, deciding how to go on from there took a rather long time. In between I just put it to the side and worked on something else, so for several weeks she was just lying around.

Then finally this week I finished it.

How long does it take you to work on your paintings, mixed media etc.?
What do you do when you're stuck?

I'm linking this to Paint Party Friday and Studio JRU. There are many wonderful artists to visit.
And since this week's theme is "Sun Kissed" at Inspiration Avenue, I'm linking there as well.

34 comments:

Bonita Rose said...

I love your painting.. it's beautiful.. visiting you fr studio jru! hugs xo I am participating too! xo

Nancy said...

This is adorable, Carola. When I'm working on a textured photo, I can sometimes spend a couple of hours getting it the way I see it in my mind. :)

GlorV1 said...

She's great. Coyote Girl is wonderful. The colors you used go very well with the painting. Nice job. I put the painting down when I'm stuck and just come back to it later. Happy PPF.

scrapwordsmom said...

Oh she is so sweet:) I love to make these fun little girls. I call them Brave Girls:)

Stopping by from JRU.

My first time linking to this....love it!

Faye said...

Carola, how beautiful! You've certainly captured the feeling of the US western life. Her dress is perfect. I love your painting. I don't do mixed media paintings so I can't answer your question about time. Watercolors are usually faster, I think.

Christine said...

what a positive message, nice work!

carol l mckenna said...

Love this Coyote Girl and the coyote down the bottom ~ interesting beaded textured look ~ Great Job ~ Happy PPF ~
namste, Carol ^_^ (Share the Creative Journey)

WrightStuff said...

Hi Carola. Funnily enough my piece this week took ages... she's been hanging about for weeks and nearly got given up on.

Sometimes though that is just how things are meant to be so we end up with lovely pieces like this.

Netty said...

Your indian girl is great and love the words. Enjoy the weekend and Happy PPF, Annette x

SHERI COOK said...

When you get stuck you have to turn the work over and just get away from it for a day or two. Usually a little break helps when you return to it with fresh eyes and spirit. I like the colors in your work. Glad you shared. HAPPY PPF!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wunderschön. Die Leuchtkraft der Farben ist einmalig. Das Kleid des Indianermädchen ist perfekt. Wie heißt es doch so schön, was lange währt wird endlich gut :)

Cindy said...

Love it Carola! For me, it all depends on the piece - how much I am being stretched by technique - which is usually my own doing, trying something new...tho' now that you ask, I think I always let a painting set for a few days - or weeks! - to see if it is truly finished or if I need to add/alter something...my Eternal Words paintings only take about 3 or 4 hours after I know which word and Scripture I want to use...(not counting drying in between layers time)...

Blessing to you Carola!

Anonymous said...

Well, I don't work with paintings or mixed media..so it would likely take me forever. =) I think she's adorable...and it's nice to see her completed...no matter how long the process took.

Chantal said...

the feeling is capture very well Carola, hats on!

Maggie said...

I love the bold colors, patterns and textures. Coyote Girl is awesome!

She looks "sun kissed" also, but maybe you have something else for IA ;-)

It takes me waaaay too long to complete a painting. Even when I don't put it aside for months! Wish I was faster!

Sadee Schilling said...

Oh my goodness, I get "stuck" all the time! I either just put the painting aside until inspiration strikes again, or I keep fussing and working until I finally get it right. I love the fabric you finally decided on for coyote girl's dress! So cute!

And thank you for your encouraging words on my blog last week--it's so nice to know that the ups and downs of homesickness are "normal" and that I'm not alone in feeling this way! :)

Victoria said...

Wow...she is gorgeous Carola...such a beautiful symbolic piece..stunning!
Victoria

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

I ADORE the subtlety of the coyote in the background.

carlarey said...

I have to work quickly, or not at all. I admire your perseverance for finishing this piece. Once I get stuck and put a piece aside, I rarely ever go back to it.

Anne Butera said...

She's so sweet! What a joyful painting!

It sometimes takes me a very long time to complete paintings. I often put things aside and work on other things while I'm waiting for the inspiration to finish things. Works well for me.

Happy PPF!

Jennifer said...

I love her, Carola! When I am blocked, I put it aside and pray :)

Joni Nickrent said...

Beautiful painting...love the colors and the whimsical feel! POP ART MINIS

Unknown said...

I love your coyote girl, her dress and all the element in the background are very nice. I love the blue sky and yellow of the sun, they really pop. So many nice touches on this piece. Love it.

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Visiting from IA. Coyote Girl is just wonderful. The colors and saying are sweet. Like you, when I am stuck, I put it aside & go on to something else.

Cameron said...

...but then you work thru the block....to find something wonderful waiting for you at the end :D

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Carola,

I came by way of IA to say how much I like your little sun kissed girl. It was a lucky thing you finished her just in time for this specific challenge.

Sometimes it takes me forever to think of what I'm going to make, then just as long to make it. Of course, sometimes it comes right away and I finish as soon as possible.

Jodene Shaw said...

Carola, she is so sweet. And sometimes I do just what you do . . . set "her" aside and work on something else for awhile. Isn't it interesting how we can get stuck on one painting for so long, and then another day, they just come together so easily? I guess that is just like life, isn't it?

Geckostone said...

Oh Carola, I'm so in love with this work!!!! Its my favorite entry in PPF this week!!! I'm partial to the southwest style stuff and this is sooooooo darn adorable, I love it! Deb

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

What a great piece! I love the fabric you found for the dress... perfect! Sometimes pieces come together quickly for me and other times they don't. If I am stuck, I set it aside and work on something else for a while. Or I just keep playing with it until I end up working through it or basically starting over! lol :)

Kat W said...

Oh this is fab - I love it. Great use of materials and colours. Really like the wolf howling. Beautiful mixed media piece.

In answer to your question - I have a few unfinished mixed-media pieces that are awaiting just the right finishing object/material/word. So sometimes they can take me ages. Other times they fall into place much faster.

Really do love this!

Kat X

Karen Isaacson said...

I admire the ability to build a piece over time. I'm SOOOO impatient and hate to leave things for later. I'm fanatically waving my heat gun around and applying layers too soon....

Love the words that accompany your picture. just right!

Darla said...

Nice work! I find if I stop work on a piece for very long it is hard to go back to finish it.

Darla

Heather Foust said...

Ohhhh I love Coyote Girl!! She is sooo cute!! Love all the layers!

EVA said...

She is wonderful! And what a great motto.

I have several painting put to the side. I'm hoping to finish them in the fall - we'll see....