Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Finding My Way Off Of The Couch . . .



As you may have noticed I have not blogged since Friday.  That is because I have been sick since Saturday evening.  And today is the first day I am finally feeling better.  It started with a sore throat that I brushed off to allergies which progressed pretty quickly to a full blown bad cold with a fever that has kept me couch bound with my puff's plus tissues for the past four days.  

In other news Rocky had surgery his neutering surgery yesterday so we are both resting.  Although I seem to be wanting to rest more than him.  He is of course bouncing back much more quickly than me!

I have not painted in almost 2 weeks which always makes me nervous.  You know, like I will never want to do it again.  Silly girl.  But I did manage to play with some iphoneography which I have to share with you today.   

The above image started out as this . . . 


I put it into Snapseed, one of my fav iphone photo apps and love the result.  Cool makeover that I hope you enjoy!

Hope you are all well!!  I have missed visiting all of you!  I will make my way around soon!

xo

Friday, August 24, 2012

More Love And NYC . . . New Collaged Canvas


Haven't collaged a canvas in awhile so I thought that since I had some photocopies laying around of my NYC photos I would use them for collage.  I reused a canvas panel I had with an unfinished WIP.  It is a 16x20.  I am enjoying creating larger.  

I used matte medium and quickly glued the papers down not really paying attention to where I was putting them or which images they were.  I used payne's gray and raw umber to add color.  I tried to keep a few images exposed like the cab and some of the buildings.  I stenciled letters with some black paint.  Finishing touches were added with white out pen and black sharpie.  

Thought you might like to see the collage before I went crazy all over it! 


I liked this image so much I printed it out as a photo.  You can read all about that in this post HERE.

Sharing this piece today over at Paint Party Friday.  

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!

xo

Friday, August 17, 2012

Love Balloon . . .

"love balloon"
8x10 mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas

You just never know what can happen when you paint over an old canvas.  That is what I did for this painting.  I had an 8x10 canvas with the beginnings of another idea that had been sitting for about 6 months.  All I had done was created a teal background and sketched an idea on it.  So without really thinking I grabbed it and added some alphabet stencils with black paint randomly.  

I decided that I wanted to use purple and magenta so I started smearing some of that around over the stenciling.  I wiped away some of the purple which revealed some of the black letters and loved how that looked.  Actually that is my favorite part of this piece.  I also scraped some scribbles into the paint.  I tried some drips with the spray bottle as well.

When it came to the heart that is when I struggled.  I must have painted over that heart 4 times before it felt right.  About 2 hours today I worked on just that part and felt such relief when I finally made that "breakthrough"!  Then it felt complete.  

I am sharing today over at Paint Party Friday.  Please stop by if you have never been!  
Click HERE!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

A Beautiful Surprise . . .


Yesterday was one of those days.  It was a rough morning, there was a bit of a crying meltdown, some anxiety, and a hyper puppy.  I had planned on meeting a friend for lunch.  I didn't want to go.  I was too bummed out.  

Then I thought that it may help me feel better, getting out of the house, enjoying a nice visit with my friend.  So off I went.  

These flowers were a belated birthday gift and brightened my day.  I had an amazing time. I think sometimes the universe sets things up to give you what you need, what will help, what can heal . . . 

Monday, August 13, 2012

And She Appears . . .


Continuing along my current obsession, using fluids and a spray bottle to create abstracts I grabbed a small 8x8 canvas this time and tried some different colors.  (I have to admit that having used that 16x20 this felt way too small!)  I originally used my favorites, payne's gray and burnt sienna, but HATED the result.  So after that dried I decided to use colors I typically do not like at all, red and yellow.  Actually it was magenta and yellow.  I wasn't sure what would happen painting over the darker background but I feel like it gave some nice depth to the piece.  

I smeared the paint around with my hands and then just started spraying.  It is so cool and weird to me how sometimes things just appear when you are working so randomly.  I do not pay attention to where I am spraying.  I didn't notice the figure until I went back and looked at the canvas when it had dried.  I was surprised to see what looks like the side profile of an image (in yellow) with water dripping from the forehead. I also see a bare shoulder with a drape over it as well.  

I am curious to know. . . 

Do you see what I see??

Friday, August 10, 2012

Pulled In A Colorful New Direction . . .


I had planned on sharing a completely different piece for today but I was too excited to share this new WIP that I started yesterday.  It goes along the lines of yesterday's post which you can see HERE if you missed it.  As I had said I am reading and rereading Flora Bowley's book taking all kinds of inspiration from it and trying new things including colors.  

I am going bigger as well.  This 16x20 canvas was sitting in around with the beginnings of a landscape from last year.  I took one look and knew I wanted to cover it up.  So I grabbed some fluid acrylics and my spray bottle of water and began to play.  Playing is something I could not even do last year.  I used quin magenta again this time pairing it up with phalto blue.  I randomly dropped some paint around the canvas and smeared it with my hands.  And then started spraying.  I did not realize that I would be getting paint spray on my window sill and blinds in the process.  Oh well.  lol I was too concerned with the fun I was having.  I really am loving this technique and will have to figure out how to not make a complete mess in the house so I can continue spraying onto paint!

As you  know I have been trying LOTS of different things, taken many online workshops and of course want to take yet another with Flora, and it is just the past few days that I am feeling pulled in a different direction.  I am not sure where that is going just as I am not sure what is next for this painting but whatever it is I feel much more ready than before.  Painting abstractly is feeling "right" for me at the moment.  

This was supposed to be just the first layer of a new painting but I like it just as it is for now.  Or maybe I am just afraid to mess it up . . . 

Sharing over at Paint Party Friday.  To join us click HERE!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Playing With Fluids and A Spray Bottle . . .


Last night before I went to bed I decided I wanted to try a little something.  I typically avoid creating late at night despite the fact that I do some of my best work at that time.  But I have been reading Flora Bowley's book "Brave Intuitive You" and wanted to try some things I learned.  

I don't often use fluid acrylics.  I do use golden heavy body and have a few of their fluids but not many.  I remembered that I had a sample set of them I bought about a year ago and grabbed two colors I never use. . . quin magenta and phalto green (blue shade).  I had a 6x8 canvas panel laying around so I grabbed that and randomly dropped some paint onto it.  I used my fingers to smear it around and couldn't believe how striking the colors were.  So deep and rich.  I grabbed a spray bottle of water, held it close to the panel and sprayed.  And I smiled.  I just sooo love drips!


I didn't want to walk away and go to bed but I did.  Not sure where I will go with this but wow it was fun and I love the colors!  So out of my comfort zone.  I can see a flower in the top right of the canvas.  I may become a bit attached to it. 

I have been wanting to take Flora's online class.  It has been on my workshop wish list.  Have any of you taken it?  

So I am not sure where I will go with this but in the meantime I found a 16x20 canvas that had a landscape started on it but I am thinking that its time for something new.  I may just start adding some fluids and spraying away with that water again!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

At The Shore . . . Texture Tuesday


Today I am linking up with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.  Been away for awhile but happy to be back there!  

This image I shot out in Newport, RI, a different view of the beach cottage I have shared before.  This one was taken much more close up at a different angle.  I processed this image in snap seed.  I love the "drama"  effect.  I also took down the saturation and like the effect of the light cooler tones.  

Here is the original image . . . 


Check out Kim's blog for how you can link up with Texture Tuesday and check out some amazing photography being shared!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Turning a WIP Collage Into Cool Photo Art


I started collaging an old canvas board with torn up pieces of my NYC photography.  Typically I do not enjoy collage.  It frustrates me.  But for some reason I really got lost in ripping and gluing these pieces down with no thought to placement at all.  I try to remember to take photos during the progress of my pieces and did so with this.  What I did not expect however was to find a really cool image.  I shot this at an angle just playing around with my iPhone and loved what I saw!

I then took it a step further and put the image in the 'be funky' app which has some cool borders.  I also grunted it up a bit so it would have a more distressed antique look.  


Yesterday I printed it out and think I will hang it up!  You never know where an image can take you.  Even something as simple as a photo of your WIP.  Try it sometime!!  I would love to see what you create!!

Friday, August 3, 2012

NYC Inspired Black and White Photo Art



I am back to my former love!  I got out some of my NYC black and white photography and used it in these  new photo art pieces.  All I used was some black and white paint, a sharpie, and a white out pen for all the details. They were super fun and quick to create.  


I miss incorporating my photos in my art.  Some of you may recall my article published in Somerset Studio last fall that was all about creating black and white photo art.  You can check out that post HERE!

The techniques I used in these pieces were from Julie Prichard's "Mixed Media Variety Hour" online workshop.  I shared another similar piece in yesterday's post.  To view that post click HERE.  

 Sharing today over at Paint Party Friday.  If you haven't joined us yet please do!  Thanks as always to Eva and Kristin for hosting this great party every week!

I am thinking these will look cool framed.  I may do just that and hang them up in our living room.

xo

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Art + IPhone = Cool!



The other night I created a simple journal page.  I grabbed my sharpie and did some quick writing all over the page which felt quite freeing!   And then I added some watercolors over it in shades of purple and pink.  I sprayed some water on it, then pulled some away with a paper towel because  love the droplet effects that you can see in the above photo.  

I find myself using only my iPhone to snap shots of my artwork.  It is just so convenient.  So much so that my Canon  DSLR  is collecting dust.  Anyway I took an image of my journal page, put it in one of the iPhone apps, and the above image is the result.  And I love it !!  I am thinking about framing it to hang up in my living room.  I am always altering my photography but it was super cool to alter an image of my artwork.  

I then took it a step further . . . 


I created this 6x8 mixed media piece with the same image.   It was quick and super fun to create!!  I used techniques I am learning in Julie Prichard's "Mixed Media Variety Hour" online workshop.  You can check out the details HERE ! Now is a great time to sign up because she just announced a sale on all of the workshops offered over at her ning site The Land Of  Lost Luggage.  

I will be back tomorrow for Paint Party Friday!
xo