Shoot for the Stars

Inspiration Avenue has challenged us with the theme "Shine". Immediately "Shoot for the stars and shine" shot (!) in my head and stuck. So I started to work - I thought about stars that sparkle in the dark and hands that reach out. In addition, I finally saw a chance to try out black gesso for the first time. So I started to work.

I must admit, I'm not really happy with this. I actually had my doubt to even post it here - but then I thought about my word of the year (authentic) and told myself - well, it's me, and sometimes my creations are not to my liking. Perhaps one day I'll find what's missing in this piece. On the other hand, perhaps I just leave it this way. It's a page in my freshly started art journal, so why not just leave it.

Here it is in all its imperfection:

Honestly, it reminds me of some school work... oh well. But this is happening in my studio right now.

I'm linking this to JRU studio for Sneak Peek Friday and Roban Studio's Art Walk Friday as well as Creative Every Day.

Art Walk Friday: Blue

Rhonda's theme at this week's Art Walk Friday is "blue". My contribution are photos from two very different parts of the world.

The Red Sea as seen from the Sinai peninsula, Egypt

Icebergs of Columbia Glacier in Prince William Sound, Alaska

If you want to participate in Art Walk Friday or just want to see what others have created, hop on over to Rhonda's blog.

Art Walk Friday: Halloween

This week's theme at Rhonda's Art Walk Friday is Halloween. During the last ten days I've joined Kim Klassen's Skinny Mini Photoshop class and was a bit overwhelmed by all what we learned - or were supposed to learn. I finally started practicing with some of my photos - this one was the first. This pumpkin sits right next to my front gate. We have quite some lighted Halloween decoration on my front porch and Kaefer and I love to lit the lights when it starts to get dark.

Pumpkins in the Mail

Last week I won my first give-away on a blog - a beautiful print of watercolor pumpkins that was painted by Rhonda of Roban Studio.

She also included this cute Halloween card that she made as well. I love her art, and she is also a fantastic photographer. You can check out her beautiful blog here. And - she has a very creative way of announcing her give-away winners!

Every Friday Rhonda does the Art Walk Friday where everybody can join in with whatever medium. This week's theme was "Fall". While at the pumpkin patch, I studied the sunflowers and took several shots of the big flower heads with the busy bees.

Thank you Rhonda - it was a good day when I discovered your blog!

Art Walk Friday

Rhonda's Art Walk Friday this week is all about fall. How much do I love those fall colors. While walking around the neighborhood a few days ago, looking for some nice autumn subjects, I suddenly saw these leaves in the beautiful light of the sun. I have no idea what kind of tree this is, but the colors really captured me.

Art Walk Friday

"What is your favorite landscape genre?"

This was Rhonda's challenge for this week's Art Walk Friday. I have wanted to participate in this challenge for quite some time, but never really did (and please don't ask why - uncertainty? not feeling good enough? who knows...). This week, however, I decided to finally "throw" my photo in.

I love to take pictures of landscapes in not so ideal conditions. Fog is one of my favorite moods to shoot along - it's mysterious, magical and always changes (at least at the edges). I found that there are different kinds of fog - in Maine I experienced the fog as a veil that softly lays down; here on the West Coast the fog is more like a blanket that heavily covers everything beneath it. Its beauty appears when it starts to slowly lift and dance around.

Like here at my favorite lake. I had just dropped off the kids at school and wanted to go on a quick brisk walk. When I arrived in the parking lot I saw how beautiful the fog lingered among the trees and above the lake. Fortunately I had my small point-and-shoot camera with me (though I prefer my DSLR) and spent a wonderful creative hour shooting away happily.