One World One Heart 2011

Hi and welcome to my blog! I am a photographer, artist, writer, and cancer survivor. I live in New York, USA with my husband of 7 years and our pug Bosco. I love taking photos of landscapes and nature. Last year I picked up a paintbrush for the first time since I was a child and I haven't put it down since! I like working with acrylics and mixed media. I also like abstract art. I have recently begun incorporating my photography into my mixed media art. For me creativity quiets my mind and connects me with myself. I have learned so much this past year and met wonderful creative people along the way! And I hope to meet more through this great event! To learn more about the One World One Heart Event click HERE!

My giveaway for this event is a print of my abstract painting titled Embrace. The original painting was completed using acrylic glazes on birch wood. Image size is 6x6 inches printed on 8x10 inch matte photo paper.

To enter for a chance to win this print just leave a comment! Make sure your comment will link me back to your blog so that I may contact you if you are the winner. This open to all bloggers worldwide. The winner will be announced on February 17 on the bottom of this post. Good Luck! You can see the list everyone that is participating in this wonderful event HERE!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have enjoyed your visit! I am looking forward to getting to know you along this blogging trip around the world!

Scratching and Ripping Up the Brooklyn Bridge!

Many thanks for all of your comments on my last post! I am very excited that you are liking these latest paintings with my altered photography!

I did this one this morning. It is on an 8x10 canvas board that I covered with black gesso. This time in addition to scratching and inking the photo I also ripped the edges. So fun! I love this picture I took of the Brooklyn Bridge and pictured in my mind how I could extend the landscape of the photo into this painting. I am really becoming a fan of the black and white palette!

Working on this piece reminded me of my love of landscape painting!

Scratching Up More Photos . . . And A Blog Award!

mixed media on 6x6 inch birch wood

Thanks for all the great comments on yesterday's photo! I wish I were there now instead of being buried in more snow! It has been a record setting winter so far here in NY and I am looking forward to spring!

First I would like to thank the lovely Kelly over at KellyBerkeyDesigns for awarding me the Dearest Blog Award!! It was quite a surprise and I am very thankful! Kelly is an amazing artist and jewelry designer with a sweet soul. She is someone who inspires others with her love of life and of art! Do stop by her blog (via the link above) if you haven't already!

As for this new piece I am finding that I like scratching up and distressing my photos. I had pictured this painting in my head the other day. I knew which photo I wanted to use and that I wanted to extend the landscape especially the sun and water reflection. I used black gesso for the background and added the landscape details in white marker and grey water color crayon that I just smudged.

I am definitely liking the black and white contrast with these latest pieces I have done. I am hoping I don't get stuck in this color palette but then again why not?! I always think to much and limit myself to what I think I "should" create. For now I am vibing to the black and white and we will see where it goes!

Wordless Wednesday

a peaceful place

newport, rhode island

Grungy Love . . .

mixed media on 6x8 inch canvas board

Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday! Last night I finished this piece. I used a photo of a heart I drew in the sand at the beach. I sanded the photo and added some distress ink the details of which are lost under a layer of white gesso but I do like how it came out. So I used black crayon to bring the heart shape back out.

The layer of paint I started with was a wash of crimson. I hated it. I didn't think it went with the sepia tone of my photo. So I went with my old standby . . . payne's gray. And it felt better to me. The stamping I added after staring at it for a couple of hours wondering what was missing. It is actually white gesso I put on my stamp because of the dark background. The stamp was what I needed to complete the piece.

It looks kind of grungy to me and I like it! I went to bed last night with visions of my photos scrolling through my head. I am wondering which one I will try next!

Tomorrow I begin a new online class with Traci Bautista. Its called "Fashionista" and incorporates faces, collage, digital photos, and graffiti backgrounds. I will be sure to share some of my creations from the class with you!

Finding Comfort In Photography . . . New Mixed Media Piece

untitled

mixed media on 6x8 inch canvas board

So not long after my whining rant yesterday I started flipping through Mixed Emulsions by Angela Cartwright and was inspired. I bought this book way before I ever picked up a paint brush. I think I was drawn to it because of my photography. And then I never tried any of the techniques as I really wasn't into art yet. If you are looking to incorporate your photos into your art this is a great book.

I ventured into my studio to try and create by late afternoon. I knew which photo I wanted to alter and could see the background. I actually gessoed over my failed attempt at painting from last week! I already had molding paste on the canvas board and used carbon black for the background with some micaceous iron oxide along the side over the paste. I altered my photo with sandpaper and distress ink. I completed the piece using a white paint pen to draw the extension of the image into the painting.

I really love how it turned out! I do find that what I am loving the most is using my photography in a mixed media piece. There is something comfortable about that for me.

And to those of you who commented on yesterday's post thank you for your kind words! By last night I was feeling better. I just hope it lasts!

New Angel Sketch And Some Whining . . .

Thank you so much for your amazing comments on my beach cottage photo from my last post!! Oh how I wish I was there now! We have just had more snow dumped on us again here in NY and I am a bit sick of it. Speaking of sick . . . . it has been almost 2 weeks since I came down with this bug and I felt like I was getting better until yesterday when the headache and fever stuff began again! UGH! Whatever this bug is it is wanting to stick around awhile.

So for the past couple of weeks I have been unable to create and that has been frustrating. The only art I have done is some sketching. I tried to paint the other day and just couldn't do it. I miss it. Maybe it is because I am not feeling that great. It feels like I have lost it . . . like I won't be able to get back in the groove again.

On a positive note here is my latest angel sketch I did the other night. As you know I do love hearts and wanted to incorporate them into her world. The words along the side say "and her heart opened wide" I have been wanting to paint her and my other angel but for right now I have no drive to paint. Actually I have no drive to do much of anything and oh how I am tired of it! I would like my energy back . . .

And I do know that in the big scheme of things this bug I have is nothing really to complain about but sometimes you just have to vent.

Despite all that I am very thankful for all of you who brighten my days with your visits and comments! :)

Wordless Wednesday . . . Beach Cottage

Beach Cottage, Castle Hill Inn

Newport, RI

Sunday Night Sketching

First a big thanks to all of you for the sweet comments and well wishes! I am feeling much better although I still don't feel like I am back in an art groove. Haven't done much but tonite I sketched this lovely girl! I did some waves in the hair this time but swept to the other side. I know, not much variation from my last one but she is so different! And on this one I spent alot of time on the nose. The nose has been tough for me especially as I strive for realism in my latest sketches. I can see improvement since my last post. I also had fun with the lashes.

I hope to get back to more art soon. The sketching though I can just pick up anywhere, just paper and a pencil. So simple and yet can express so much.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Finally Back To Some Art . . .

So I have been sick for most of the past week. That would explain me being somewhat MIA here in blogland. Hubby came down with something the end of last week and then on Sunday I went down like a ton of bricks! Whatever icky bug this is took me out before I even saw it coming. And dam it is icky! Today is the first day that I have felt better. I will spare you all the details but lets just say I haven't been this sick in years. And for me it is quite a mind game given my history with chemo.

The brighter side of this post is of course my new sketch. I sketched her out tonite and it felt great to be doing some art! Oh how I have missed it! And I have missed blogging! Hope you like her as much as I do. I will be by to visit you all soon!

I have missed my lovely creative friends! :)

Wordless Wednesday . . . More Snow

Snow On The Walk Trail, 12/2010

More Angels . . . And A New Etsy Treasury!

I seem to be on an angel kick. I sketched this out the other night in graphite pencil. Just small 6x8 inch sketchbook. I am not sure why I gave her a bouquet as if she were a bride. It seemed to fit. I like that she doesn't have detail on her face. The words along the side popped into my head when she was done "and she said yes".

Strange though because angels don't get married! But then again I suppose they can do anything they want! Right? :)

Speaking of angels . . . my angel photo card is featured in a beautiful etsy treasury Cupid's Collection by Karla Ruth!

Angels indeed are everywhere!

Snow Angel . . . New Abstract

"Snow Angel"

acrylic glazes on 5x5 inch birch wood

prints available on etsy

This was hubby's idea. The other night he told me I should paint a snow angel for one of my glazed abstracts. Those are his favorite paintings of mine. Typically I have been going to the canvas and just letting images appear. But for this one I did a light sketch on the gessoed wood and used a glaze of payne's gray around the outside of the angel. I used paper towel to wipe away any gray that got on the angel image which ended up being the scratch marks you see on the wings and above the head. I added some charcoal pencil at the end to shade and outline the angel details.

Although I sketched the image on this one I do see two other images in the top left and top right which for me looks like more angels! Do you see them?

My Pug Is In An Etsy Treasury!

Bosco has been quite popular on etsy. Yesterday I found out he is included in a super cute pug treasury titled May I Have Your Attention, Please! by Tangledwood.

He is my favorite subject to photograph! I just can't get enough of that cute face!

Check out the treasury HERE!

PS . . . Thanks for all your great comments on yesterday's post! I listed a print in my etsy shop of that winter scene. I printed it out the other night on matte photo paper and loved the results! You can see the new listing HERE!

Wordless Wednesday . . . A Winter Scene

Snow On The Lake, 12/2010

She Made It Through The Uglies . . .

When I started sketching her yesterday I just couldn't get it right. The beginning features I sketched out looked bad. Maybe I wasn't in the zone. So she looked pretty ugly! And then after many changes I saw this face emerge. I am used to seeing the uglies during the painting process but this is the first time I had it happen while sketching.

I am glad I was able to work through some frustration so that I could find her. As you can see I am liking the shorter hair!

Hoping you all had a great New Year's weekend!