Complimentary Colors . . . Abstract

Acrylic on 9x12 canvas paper

You made me so happy with all of your lovely comments on yesterday's post!! I am glad you like her! Big thanks to all of you!

Today I thought I would share an abstract I did last week. As I said when I posted my last abstract I tend to shy away from any bold colors. The color wheel scares me! lol And what is most difficult for me is choosing colors. So abstract painting which I want to learn how to improve with is really tough.

I chose complimentary colors to practice with for this painting. I used shades of orange and a light turquoise that I mixed with titanium white and phalto blue (gs). I had an easier time with blending on this one adding some titan buff to lighten areas in the orange and added some water to the bottom left corner blotting it off. (I am loving this effect!) At the end I added the blue to bubble wrap putting it on for texture. I have to say that my eyes do not like these colors together although they do make each other stand out! And again, the colors look bolder in person.

PS . . . I am hosting a giveaway on my life after cancer blog In My Life. I am giving away a signed copy of my memoir Breastless in the City to one lucky winner! You can check out the details HERE!

Your Light . . . New Painting

Your Light . . .

9x12 mixed media on canvas board

available on etsy

I finally had the chance yesterday to paint her! You can see the original sketch HERE. I used my new caran d'ache crayons and love them! Much creamier than the starter set I had been using. I used some molding paste for the angel wings and added a shimmery titan buff color to them.

I had fun creating her and hope to start on my other angel this week! She is the one with the heart tears. I am seeing lots of pinks and white for her. . .

Christmas Image . . .

I took this picture last Christmas. It is our little tree perched on the bay window sill. One night I looked at it and thought about how the glow of the lights was so lovely. I wanted to capture that moment. I altered it in a sepia tone....oh how I love sepia!

Yesterday I listed it in my etsy shop. I think it would make a nice Christmas card!

Hope you all had a great holiday and are enjoying a creative weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Horse Farm in Newport, Rhode Island

Practicing More Abstract . . .

acrylic on 9x12 canvas paper

I haven't used canvas paper in a while but I ran out of boards. I have a harder time painting on the paper. Its just something about the way the brush moves on paper than I don't like. But this time I used acrylic glazing liquid and fluid acrylics which gave me more time to work with the paint.

I started with a layer of titan buff and then added shades of magenta. I wanted to darken some areas with black and added too much but in the end I liked the result anyway. I tried spraying water in spots and blotting it off as well as using bubble wrap for some texture. I could have done a few more layers but we all know how impatient I am!

I think the colors look better in person. Still tough to get a good picture of some of my work.

Hoping to move on to some complimentary colors but for now am liking the monochrome. That color wheel scares me!

Your Light . . . More Sketching!

Although I have yet to get painting my other girl I did have time to do some sketching. I really like her. She has a different look to her eyes and face than the past few I have done. And I like that! I don't know how it happened but that is the fun part! Not sure which of my angels I will paint first!

Hope all of you had a great weekend! And many thanks as always for your lovely comments on the blue heart I shared in my last post!

Playing With Paint This Morning . . .

I had a 5x5 wrapped canvas calling to me. I thought of this heart last night. I wanted to try to do one in monochrome so that I could practice layering and blending the paint. I chose phalto blue (gs) again with only white and black.

I also sketched last night. New girl coming soon!

Tears of Love . . . New Sketch

I drew her up the other nite. I knew I wanted to make her an angel and saw hearts involved somehow. I struggled with the hair. At first I wanted her to have an updo but it wasn't working out! I originally had a halo above her head and took that out as it seemed too much to me.

The heart shaped tears were an afterthought. The tears came first and then the words that I scribbled in the top left corner which read "tears of love fell from her eyes." I will most likely collage those onto the background.

I hope to paint her this weekend!

PS . . . I finally ordered the caran d'ache watersoluble crayons last night! So excited to get them! lol

Abstract Turns Into A Flower . . .

Acrylic on 6x8 canvas board

This started out as another attempt at an abstract and somehow a flower came out! I was trying another monochrome piece this time using quinacridone magenta with only white and black to vary the shades. As I started blending the shades together I saw a flower in my head and decided to add it.

I am very uncomfortable painting this way with no reference except whatever is in my head. My mind is so crowded all the time there is no room for imagination sometimes! But I will keep working nicely with my left brain and hopefully find a more comfortable place in abstract mixed media.

This piece and my first attempt at abstract piece are inspired by a new class I am taking with Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen over at Land of the Lost Luggage. I love their abstract art and am learning alot so far about color in the Color Beyond the Basics class.

Wordless Wednesday . . .

Fall sunset seen from my front door

The only words I will say today are THANK YOU!! Your comments on yesterdays post were so lovely and encouraging! And so appreciated! :)

First Attempt At Abstract . . .

Acrylic on 6x8 canvas board

I have always loved abstract art. I love the shapes and blending of all the colors into seamless composition. I have wanted to try it myself since I began painting earlier this year. It is such a different process for me than painting faces or my landscapes. And amazingly it is the most difficult for me to do.

My analytical brain does not like to work this way! Without a reference point of color and shape I am frustrated with how hard it is for me to just let go and see what the painting does and says to me. But I don't want to give up. I want to learn how to paint this way and not shy away from it.

I think what it can teach me about myself is priceless. So I will continue to push through my fears and my perfectionism moving forward . . .

Brooklyn Bridge . . . Making It A Good Day

The Brooklyn Bridge

At the end of the month I will go see my oncologist for an annual checkup. I used to go every 3 months and then every 6 and at the 5 year mark graduated to annual visits. Although it has been 9 years since my diagnosis I still get super anxious when I have to go see him. I go to Sloan Kettering in NYC so the city that I love is always a bit tainted for me. Each time I go to the doctor my hubby comes with me and we always do something good afterwards while we are in the city.

These photos were taken last November after my annual visit. I had always wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It has been on my to do list for many years. So finally I decided that we would go that day. The above shot is my favorite and is listed in my etsy shop as a photo card. I digitally altered all the photos in black and white. It was an overcast day and I just love the feel it gives these shots.

This was a random light post but I thought it looked cool against the bridge cables.

This is another favorite of mine. I had to get a shot of this lamp post on the bridge because of the words "Love Me" written on it! So cool! I also sell it as a photo card in my etsy store.

This one my hubby took while we were on the bridge. I was feeling a huge relief having been done with my doctor visit! I enjoyed every moment on that bridge. At first I was scared walking across it due to the height. But then I thought how silly that was with all I have survived in my life!

Not sure yet what we will do after my upcoming visit but I think it will definitely involve dinner at one of our favorite italian places in the city!

PS . . . Thanks to all of you for the amazing comments on my last post! I am happy to announce that she has a new home! Very excited to have sold her too!

Seek Peace. . . . A New Painting

"Seek Peace . . ."

mixed media on 9x12 canvas board

Sold

Here she is in her painted version! Although I like the original sketch better I do like the color palette which was a mystery to me even as I was painting her. She ended up more goth than I expected! This time I used some distress ink around the edges and I like the effect it gives. This one is also inspired by Tam's class Art, Heart, and Healing. Check out the link along my sidebar and join us if you haven't already!

In other news I sold my first painting! And I wasn't even trying. I have not listed any of my paintings in my etsy shop as I don't feel confident enough in them yet to sell them. I just posted a photo of it on FB to share it with some friends as I always do with my artwork and I received a comment from someone that loved it. He asked me if I would consider selling it because he wanted to give it to his 8 year old daughter who is an aspiring artist. She recently won a first place award in an art contest and told me how proud he is of her. He thought my painting would help inspire her to follow her dream.

I have to say I got all choked up hearing this story. I instantly thought back to when I was her age and won the first place ribbon for my pastel butterfly. Then I thought about how neither of my parents ever encouraged me with my creative interests. I waited until the age of 40 to begin painting. I instantly felt a connection to this little girl who is blessed with a dad that wants to support and inspire her dreams. That pretty much sealed the deal for me. I felt it was no accident that I was presented with this opportunity to help inspire her. It was syncronicity for me! You can see the photo of that painting here.

Oh, and one more thing . . . thanks so much for your lovely comments on my sunset photo!

Wordless Wednesday . . . A Beach Sunset

Sunset in Newport, Rhode Island

Sunday Nite Sketching . . . Seek Peace

It was her hairstyle that popped in my head first as I was getting ready for bed last nite. I didn't want to forget the image I saw so there I was sitting up in bed with my sketchbook hoping I wouldn't wake up my hubby.

I have been wanting to try a different hairstyle. So here is my attempt at a braid! And its funny that I really like to shade in the cheekbones but when I go to paint it I don't do that shading. I think I am afraid to mess it up since I am not comfortable with shading in paint for that part of the face. Hmmmm...maybe I should give it a try sometime!

Not sure if you can read my notes above her head but it says "Seek peace around every turn". Those are the words I will most likely collage on the painting unless something else comes to me. I try to go with what comes to me first and not think too much about it afterwards.

I am hoping to begin painting her later today. Wonder what my color palette will be this time. . .

My Creative Sunday . . .

"Listen To Your Dreams"

mixed media on 9x12 canvas board

Sold

Yesterday I had a great time speaking in Philly at a women's cancer symposium. Although it was 6 hours of driving round trip it was worth it. The event had a good turnout, I met some lovely people and even got to sign some of my books! I truly feel grateful for those moments when I get the opportunity to inspire others through sharing my cancer survivor story.

Today I enjoyed a quiet morning painting the sketch from my last post. I used the water soluble crayons again (love them . . . I still need to order the caran d'ache!), watercolor pencils, graphite pencil, my brayer, white acrylic paint, and some new stamps I bought.

I have to say that I had a bit of trouble with layering my background. Only because I didn't quite like how it was coming out. I didn't wait for my stamp ink to dry (it was taking very long!) and when I added the next layer it was smearing all over and mixing in as color. Anyone else have this problem? Any tips? So I used the brayer and added more white paint to cover what I didn't like. I just tried to go with what was happening realizing that no matter what I could always fix it.

I am happy with how she came out. Those words popped into my head as I was painting. I outlined them with graphite to make them blend into the background.

All in all a nice way to spend part of my Sunday!

Tonite is dinner with my hubby at our favorite local italian restaurant!

Hope you are all having a lovely day!

New Sketch Waiting to Be Painted!

I wanted to share a new sketch I did yesterday. No words have come to mind yet but hopefully they will when I paint her. I am planning to use her in a mixed media piece as I did for Tam's class using the new techniques I learned. In case you missed it you can read that post HERE.

Sketching always quiets my mind. It is fun to see how the face will turn out. It seems a secret to me while I am creating. I always look forward to the big reveal!

Tomorrow I am off to Philly to speak at a women's cancer symposium. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Nature Speaks . . .

Hope you find some time in your day

to just sit and listen . . .

Open Your Heart . . . Mixed Media

"Open Your Heart"

mixed media on 12x16 canvas board

This painting was done for Tam's free class Art Heart and Healing. I sketched her out first. You can see the initial sketch in this post. In that post I shared my frustration with painting on a journal page. So I decided to paint her on a canvas board. I really had fun with this. It is my first painting incorporating mixed media techniques like layering, stamping, and collage.

I only used water soluble crayons for the entire piece as Tam does. The only paint used was some white acrylic for the background and a bit to mix in with the crayons on her face. And I only had student grade cheapie crayons in standard colors. I loved using them! It made shading the face so much easier for me than when I have used just paint. I may have to invest in some of the caran d'ache crayons I have heard so many good things about! I used my graphite pencil for shading which blended nicely into the color. Using a brayer is also new to me and how fun is that?!

If you haven't joined us already please do! Tam is great and I love her style of teaching! You can sign up for this free class over at Willowing !

Butterflies at the Bronx Zoo!!

Thanks for all your great comments on my last post! As promised here is part 2! I took these photos in the Butterfly House at the zoo. It was like a greenhouse for butterflies. When we walked in it was light and bright and they were all flying everywhere! One even landed on my hubby's arm! I wish I knew the names of each butterfly.

This one above is my favorite for sure. I love the black and sage colors! I may paint this one!

This one was drinking something. Maybe some fruit juice?

These guys are just enjoying some melon!

I also loved the color of this little one. Much smaller than the others.

Their colors are so vibrant and pretty. I didn't want to leave! I will for sure make another visit to the butterfly house next time we go to the zoo!