The Beauty of Your Dreams - PPF

After I didn't do hardly any painting at all over the past  - well, months - I have been in a paint frenzy this week. I hope it keeps for a while because I really enjoy it and love every minute of it!

I started working in my art journal again which I had neglected for a very long time. I just put down some paint and started drawing this girl. I worked a lot with watercolor pencils for her face and hair. I've recently "discovered" watercolor pencils again and I enjoy working with them - I seem to have a bit more control this way and I love to see the colors run and blend when the wet brush goes into them

From there it was only a short step to a painting on canvas that completely evolved from my painting in the art journal. The canvas, however, I started with book pages and some ephemera, then painted on top of them. I created a similar girl and also used the same theme, "believe in the beauty of your dreams". Since I love birds, I cut one from scrapbook paper and added it along with some smaller circles from the same paper. I really like the outcome especially after I hadn't painted for quite some time. I am not afraid anymore to paint faces, something I didn't dare a while ago. I'm so glad that I just tried and then practiced a lot.

"Beauty of your dreams" mixed media painting, available here

 

Finally, I can join the party again - the Paint Party Friday. I'm so happy to be back in this wonderful crowd of such talented artists!
And since there is a good portion of orange in these images I am linking to Lorik's Mandarin Orange Monday - check it out!

Girl With a Big Heart

Fridays is one of my favorite blogging days because it means Paint Party Friday and Studio Sneak Peek! I love these weekly get togethers because it keeps me painting and working on new art pieces - or finishing some.

This girl was still a work in progress last Friday, but now she is finished - she's the girl with a big heart. I really like how she turned out, especially since I've always been afraid of painting faces. She's far from perfect - all my work is like that - but I think she has some soul.

I would like to do a painting of a mother and daughter and am practicing this with charcoal. These two I sketched on the backside of some paper that was lying around (you can see the text peeking through on the bottom) - I still have a lot of practicing to do! But how much do I love it!

Please come and visit the other artists at Paint Party Friday and Sneak Peek Friday; every week there is some wonderful work to see and find a lot of inspiration.

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Little Witch

A little girl who has dreamed about being a witch for Halloween fulfilled her dream.

She colored her hair green, put on the orange-blck striped dress, the fancy boots and the witch's hat with the little owl on the rim and ventured outside, accompanied by her faithful little friend, the black cat (who looks slightly scared).

It was so much fun to create this canvas!

It is now for sale in my Etsy shop.

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The Daughter - finished!

Yesterday I've finished my mixed media painting "The Daughter" about whose "history" I wrote here.

I'm pretty happy with her, and she is now available in my Etsy shop.

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The Voice of the Sea

I almost forgot this week's theme at Inspiration Avenue, "beach treasures". It's Saturday evening, and I either can just pass it this week which I really wouldn't like, or I can contribute with something that I made a year ago. I opted for the latter.

Acrylic paints on a 8 x 10 canvas, then added some shells, seastar and driftwood that I had found on our beaches. Stamped a seastar, glued a torn book page in the lower right corner and embellished with the stamped image of the "sunsource" (one of my favorite stamps by Stampington & Company) without the sun. The colors are not quite true to the original, but I couldn't get the camera to represent the colors correctly. This shade of sea green seems to be a challenge!

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The Daughter

A few days ago I read some of the letters again that my mom wrote to me when I was 18 years old. Her letters are so beautiful and while I read them I remembered everything we did at that time - it was 1978. Although it brought tears to my eyes, it also painted a huge smile on my face.

My mom passed away four years ago, and those letters (I've kept them all) are the biggest treasure I have from her. I can hear her voice when I read them - she wrote the way she spoke, so completely her. She was a wonderful letter writer and I am forever thankful that I grew up in an era when people would still write letters - something you can keep.

It inspired me to create another girl - "The Daughter".

It is a 6x12 canvas, a size I have never worked with before. I discovered that I really like this size, it's perfect for the girls.

Beneath the acrylic paint you can see some written words peeking through - this is a copy of one of those letters from my mom that I adhered to the canvas first. It's a piece of my heart, so to speak, something very personal of myself that I worked into this painting. The words say "She kept her mom forever in her heart". It is still not quite finished, but very close. She will be available in my Etsy shop.

This is also my contribution to this week's Paint Party Friday and Sneak Peek Friday. Please come and visit these talented artists - there is so much inspiration you can get and just some real honest eye candy.

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My Crooked Path Through Life

Oh boy, I'm late for Paint Party Friday and Sneak Peek Friday! This has been a busy morning, and I'm on the go again, but I at least want to post my contribution this week before I have to leave for my next appointment.

This is a mixed media painting on a 6x6 canvas. You sure can tell that I like orange and red... I just love bright happy colors. This is not done yet, I hope to finish her over the weekend. Again, it took me quite some time to work on this and I didn't like her for a long time until finally it somehow came together.

Acrylic paint as a base, I cut head and neck out of my old worksheet (the sheet that was lying under all the work I did and turned very colorful over the weeks) that I then finger-painted with gesso. The colors of the sheet still show through and give it some texture. I really like that, but it was hard to get the color of the face - I used PITT pens and more gesso for that. Eyes, nose and mouth are cut from the same worksheet. The headband is a piece of fabric, the dots and flowers cut-outs from the worksheet. I also stamped it to give the background more texture. Some glitter on her hair. And of course she's crooked...

Don't forget to visit all the other amazing artists participating in Paint Party Friday and Sneak Peek Studio!

WOYWW 115

I haven't participated in WOYWW for quite some time - first we were on a trip up the coast of Oregon and Washington and after we had come back it was only two more weeks until school started and I spent time with Kaefer and not so much at the computer. This week school has started again and I'm slowly finding back my routine.

Some of you had previously asked about the sheet that was covering my work area. I finally decided to retire it and cut it up.

 Unfortunately I didn't take a picture before cutting it up, and here I already used some of the parts.

One part became the background for my art journal page that you can see on the right side:

 Since I don't like to wait for paints etc. to dry I started another page on the left so I can work on both of them. On both pages I didn't use any brush for spreading the acrylic paints but just my fingers. It feels great, is wonderfully messy and gives a great texture. When I gessoed the face on the background paper on the right page I liked how the colors beneath it started to bleed through and thus gave the face its own characteristic.

This is the third project I'm currently working on, a 6x6 canvas:

You can see that I cut the shape of the head out of the old worksheet.

That's what's on my work table today. If you want to see more desks and don't mind a trip around the world, hop on over to Julia and find the entire list.

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Recovery Time = Creative Time

The recovery time after my surgery has tested my patience quite a bit. There are many things I simply cannot do yet - lifting for example. Have you noticed how often you lift something? Something that is heavier than a mug full of some delicious latte? Do you know how often you use your abdominal muscle? Coughing and sneezing is the worst!

Consequently, I spend a lot of time reading and in my studio (aka the dining room). This little (5x5) bird canvas has been on my mind for quite a while, and the background was painted before I went into surgery. After that it hang around a bit until I finally got the kick to finish it - and I like it. The bird is made of fabric.

Kaefer saw the fish canvas that I finished some weeks ago and told me she wanted one for her room, so I took out a 6x6 canvas, painted it and cut some fish out of patterned scrap paper since she wanted it really colorful. I enjoyed playing with this one, and Kaefer loves it.

I also played in my art journal and created some backgrounds on a few pages - this one is my favorite.

I'm quite happy that the recovery time has turned out to be a rather creative time. I'm convinced that it helps the healing process.

I'm linking this to Paint Party Friday and Sneak Peek Friday - both sites are full of wonderful artists (go check it out). I hope to visit as many as possible of you, but I can't promise. The painkillers that I still need (though in a lesser amount now) make me tired a lot and I can't sit at the computer for a very long time.

Inspiration Avenue: Tropical

This week's theme at Inspiration Avenue  is "tropical" and I immediately thought of fish. For me fish are a symbol for joyful play (don't really know why) - so I just covered a 5x5 canvas (seems to be my favorite size at the moment) with some acrylic paints and punched and cut out fish - voilá! I just played around and had a lot of fun!

Fabric Owl - Paint Party Friday

Well, I guess it had to happen - after all my visits to the family of Great Horned Owls I was inspired to do something artsy about them. So I started a small 5x5 canvas, covering it with acrylic paints and a tree. My mind was set to have a fabric owl on that canvas - this was a great excuse to go and get some fat quarters (no, I'm not a quilter, I can't even sew). I guess fat quarters make a fat owl - this one is rather round...(she probably had a lot of mice to eat).

Now my question is - how do I do the finish? Usually I just cover the entire canvas with a layer of gel medium, but I have no idea whether I can put that on top of fabric. Can anyone tell me, please? Or shall I just leave it as is?

This is my entry for Paint Party Friday which is one of my blogging highlights in the week - please visit the other talented artists, there is so much amazing work to see. It is a wonderful artful journey.

WOYWW 102

So, we're getting closer and closer to the long anticipated second anniversary of WOYWW where the creative world spends the day sailing around the globe and looking at other creative souls' desks. And all this thanks to the wonderful Julia of Stamping Ground who consistently makes this blog hop possible every Wednesday. Julia, you rock!

My mojo had gone out the door for quite a while. I hadn't been very creative - I was either working out in the garden or I spent considerable time with the owls. As some of you might know, the "fallen" owlet had been released back to the site, and it's doing well. Last time I saw them on Saturday, and both owlets were cuddling on a branch with the mom close to them. The family really is reunited. I am so glad about that.

Yesterday, though, I was really frustrated. For one, the bad weather has returned - rain and cold, I actually had to switch on the heater because the house was so cold. And I'm NOT living in Minnesota, no, this is "sunny" California! Huh! That didn't really anything good to my mood and I was feeling useless, had this "I'm not good enough" mood - it was highly unpleasant. Then I grabbed my art journal and started to play around with my water colors - and that actually helped!!!

So I got out a small canvas, 5x5, and some acrylics.

And what is missing here? Yes, you got that right - an owl! I'm thinking of creating the owl with fabric, I have some nice fat quarters that I'm going to cut up for that. Sooner or later I had to start creating owls after spending so much time with the owl family.

Oh - and I made an owl book today - uploaded my owl photos and made a photo book at Shutterfly for my Dad's birthday.

I think my mojo is back.

Paint Party Friday and Update on Owls

My free time during this rather crazy week was mainly spent at the lake, watching the owls. Therefore, I didn't work a lot in the studio - but I finished the canvas that I had started last week. It's the girl who loved dogs.

Since I can't paint dogs, I used two of my (coyote) stamps, stamped the image, made a template and played around with some heavy body acrylics. I really love the texture of the paint in the dogs, especially the right one. I wasn't happy with the girl for quite some time - until I got the idea to put a hat on her head (cut from the stamped image of a Paperbag Studio stamp) and removed her eyebrows which had given her quite an angry look. She looks much nicer now I think.

I link this to Paint Party Friday - rather late, but it's still Friday! There are so many more highly talented artists to visit.

Update on the owls: The Bird Rescue Center called the ranger to let him know that the little owlet who fell out of the nest had eaten three mice (yummy) and is doing well. Its sibling was very high in the tree today, still close to Mom. Today I went to see them in the evening and there was a lot of hooting going on from the dad. All three owls looked well. The owlet is pretty daring, there were some close calls, and I just hope it stays up there in the tree and doesn't follow the way of its sibling.

If you want to read more about the owls, it's in the posts below.

WOYWW 100

Wow - WOYWW has three digits now!!! We are at 100!!! Only four more weeks to the anniversary and the PiF - I just finished mine today.

I have the feeling that my work space looks the same every week, which mainly is due to me not cleaning up. A really bad habit, I know.

I'm working on the canvas on the right, "Girl who loves dogs". However, I can't draw dogs - I can draw pigs, but not dogs. I had first thought of using stickers, but this is kind of tacky (!); especially since all my dog stickers - and there are not many - are of puppies. I want grown dogs. So I stamped dogs ( well, actually coyotes, but that's close enough) and am going to cut them out and make templates. I have started to experiment with heavy body acrylics and discovered that I L-O-V-E them, so I'll use those for painting the dogs (aka coyotes). That will give them a nice texture.

If you want to see more desks of wonderful creative people all around the globe, then please hop over to Julia's blog to find a pretty long list of lovely participants.

Paint Party Friday

I wasn't that creative this week - at least not in my studio. I worked a lot in the garden - something I thoroughly enjoy and that usually puts me in an excellent mood. Neighbor's cat kept me company, sniffing at the paydirt and new plants that were supposed to go in the ground.

However, I started a new canvas; it will be another girl, one who loves dogs. I have no idea how to paint dogs, but since this is mixed media anyway I will probably get help in form of stickers etc. It will work out somehow.

I think I need to tone down the colors a little bit, it looks too busy to me, but perhaps that will already be different when I will have finished the girl figure. She is still pretty raw and very "innocent".

This is my entry for the wonderful Paint Party Friday and I also link this to Jennifer's Studio Sneak Peek.

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WOYWW 99

One more week and we'll have the 100th WOYWW - thanks to our wonderful Julia who every Wednesday motivates people to show their desk to the world and let each other find inspiration by visiting work desks around the globe.

Nothing much on my desk. I have started a new canvas for a girl, this one will be a dog lover - at least that's the plan. I never know where it will take me the further I get along with the work. I actually should work on tags since I'm teaching a tag-making class next week and it's still not completely designed. I have sort of lost my energy for these classes... I am so much enjoying teaching the German class at the moment that there doesn't seem to be much room left for the other classes. Perhaps it's also getting "old" and I'm looking for something new to teach. The problem is that I have to give in my class proposals extremely early, when I really don't know what I would love to teach six to nine month in the future. Or perhaps I'm just a bit burned out and simply need a break. I know that in the end I will enjoy teaching this class just as I did all the others.

Enjoy hopping around the world and visiting so many different desks. Until next Wednesday.

The Girl in the Garden

Yesterday, I finished Girl #3 that I attempted as a result of the She Art Workshop - you know, that wonderful online class I rambled about all the time. I've finally finished watching all the videos and just love to play around - I have several ideas for different girls in my mind and I hope I get over my lazyness and create a little bit more. Well, I just need to kick my butt and keep all the other things out of my mind.

This is my "Girl in the Garden" who turned out a little bit different than I had imagined. Some accidents happened that I worked around, and I still don't know how she got a nose - I didn't put it there! I can't draw noses, but somehow this perky little thing suddenly appeared in the middle of her face. Perhaps I tipped the pen or had paint on my fingers - whatever, it's there, and I like it. It makes her way younger though than I intended her to be which is just fine.

Yesterday I also started a 5x5 canvas for a friend and I'm quite surprised that I'm already done. Perhaps I'm getting more confident in what I'm doing. My difficulty is to get started - after that I can work myself "into the zone" very quickly when drying times become a real challenge for my impatience...

The butterfly didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to be, but in the end I'm okay with it. Glimmer Mist might not have been my best choice here, however, I like the color and how it blends in.

As it is Friday, I'm linking this to Paint Party Friday and Sneak Peek Friday which this week is on the (in)courage site, as well as to Creative Every Day. There are many more brilliant artists to visit.


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WOYWW 96

Another Wednesday!!! This IS getting fast...

Hello WOYWWers, how are you today? Do you have spring feelings or does winter still have a strong grip in your area? I am happy to say that we have had some lovely weather, I've been working in the garden a lot and I even had my first few naps in the hammock. That clearly spells good times for me.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments last week. I am sorry that I can't get around to everyone, but I try to visit as many desks as possible. It's something I thoroughly enjoy and I always get my Wednesday inspiration.

So, on my table today - another girl. Now, what a surprise...

 I seem to be pretty addicted to making these girls. This one is almost done - the phrase has to go on there
(something along the lines of "she loved tending to her garden") and something else that I am still not sure of, and then it will be done. Before I said that I am a rather slow worker, but this canvas was done rather quickly; especially the background was completed fast. Needless to say that I enjoyed it very much again.

Please visit the Queen of snoop, Julia, to find a long list of other creative people who show their busy or messy or tidy desks. Have fun!