Back To Black And White . . .

It has been so long since I painted in black and white.  I was using it alot when I was creating pieces using my photography a while back.  So yesterday I got out a new 12x12 canvas and my black and white acrylics.  

I really do not like using brushes.  So I gloved up and started smearing paint.  This time an image did not show up right away but I knew I wanted to create some type of face.  I did have the large open circle and worked my way around it.  I scratched into the paint layers with my palette knife and scribbled with a white-out pen

I have to say I was a bit creeped out when I stood back and looked at the finished piece.  But I had such fun during the process.  And to tell you the truth I do like it.  I feel something when I see it and I hope others do as well.  

Sharing with Paint Party Friday.  Click Here to join us!

I sketched a face the other day for the first time in many months.  I will be sharing that in my next post so be on the look out!  

;)

New Digital Art and An Etsy Sale!!

Its hard to believe how much a photo image can be transformed!  Last night I used a recent sunset/tree image and played with it in the Art Studio app on my iPhone to transform it into this piece of digital art, 'Be Still' .  I just love what you can do.  I wish the screen was bigger because it seriously burns my eyes staring at such a small screen especially when I am tired.  lol

Hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend.  I tried to stay away from shopping this weekend and
relaxed at home.  Hard to believe Thanksgiving is over already!  

Lastly I wanted to let you all know that today I am having a sale in my etsy shop.  Use the coupon code "CYBERSALE12"  for 50% off!!  

To check out what I have for sale these days 

Click HERE!!

xo

In Balance . . . A New Face Shows Up

Hope all of my US friends had a nice Thanksgiving yesterday.  It was a quiet one here with just Lou, me, and the pug.  Although I miss having lots of family around the quiet does me good especially lately as I am just a sponge for the crazy energy out there in the world.  I think it is that energy playing a role in shifting my art.

This piece is quickly becoming one of my favorite's.   I was inspired to use colors I typically don't put together, yellow with payne's gray.  I started this once again by smearing the colors around the page with my hands.  Then I stepped back to look for what showed up.  I saw the face over on the right and what looked like it could be a birdie on the lower left.  The heart was the only thing I purposely created when I was pushing the paint around.  I scribbled into the paint and later realized that it looks as though the bird has a string or something in its mouth connected to the heart.  With the eyes off kilter on the face I feel like the bird is trying to balance that person.  

I long to create pieces like this, pieces that tell a story, and hopefully make others "feel".  

I am sharing this over at Paint Party Friday.  

Click HERE to join us!

Also, my work is being featured today over at Julie Prichard's blog for another installment of her Art Gallery Tour!  Be sure to check it out HERE!  

Digital Collage Love

Created this on my iPhone with the fun art studio app.  I used one of my paintings and a recent photo of some trees along the walk trail I frequent.  

I am a fan of inverting colors.  Not sure why.  And recently I am drawn to yellow, a color I really did not like too much.

Hope you are all doing well.  Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is upon us already!   And I hope that in all the holiday craziness you find some time to remember . . .

"love is everywhere" 

xo

And Another Face Just Showed Up . . .

"the enlightenment of love" 

9x12 mixed media journal page

I have been working in a new Strathmore journal.  I went bigger this time graduating myself from a small 5x8 to a 9x12.  I wanted more room to be messy.  I smile to myself everytime I say that because a year ago I would have cringed at making a mess with paint.  

For this one I used just payne's gray and titanium white.  I only used my hand to smear it around and play with the paint.  The I stood back to see what showed up.  

I stood back and found a face.  Can you see it too??  I traced a circle around the face.  I saw 2 eyes and a splotch of white where a mouth would be.  And from there I pulled it out of the background till I was happy with it.  

As I was painting the face the words "the enlightenment of love" popped in my head so I wrote them in pen over in the right side of the finished piece.  

I have to say I am really enjoying this way of creating.  The other night I tried to draw a face and then paint it.  Oh my it was awful!!  And I mean it felt bad to create that way. At the moment I cannot plan out what a piece will look like.  I need to smear paint and see what shows up! 

Sharing today at Paint Party Friday.

xo

The Sky Lights Up From Love . . .

"And still after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth,

"You owe me."

Look what happens with a love like that.

It lights up the sky."

~Rumi

Letting Go Of Perfect . . .

"Letting Go Of Perfect" is the title of a technique article I wrote in the current issue of Somerset Studio Magazine (super exciting to be published again! )  And I felt it was also the right way to start off this post.  

For those of you who are long time followers of my blog you probably know about my perfectionist ways and longing to paint a perfect face.  Well, lately since the hurricane actually my art has shifted especially with the faces I am creating.  I was slowly becoming more messy with my backgrounds and recently have welcomed creating imperfect, messy faces like this latest journal page I am sharing today. I really love her.  I feel connected to her.  

I am never going to be an artist that can paint realism certainly not when it comes to portraits.  But what I did realize is that I want to create art that makes people feel.  I want to evoke emotion through my work.  And I don't think I need to paint a realistic face to do that.  This has opened up a whole new world for me and a new road to take with my painting. Not sure where it will take me but so far I am enjoying it.  

Sharing over at Paint Party Friday.  

Artist Seth Apter is hosting a charity auction over at his blog that will benefit those affected by Hurricane Sandy.  As a NY'er I am grateful that we made it through the storm unscathed unlike so many others who are homeless and suffering right now in this area.  You can find out more about the auction HERE.

xo 

Woman Over The Water And Another Storm . . .

Even my digital collaging seems to be morphing.  I did this new one on my iphone the other night and it felt weird to me.  Not typically what I create.  I used a beach image and the image of a woman that appeared in a recent painting.  

I have been posting art that is heading in a different direction, art possibly spun out of my hurricane angst.  I do like where it is going but I am in the stage where it still feels weird.  But then again since the devastation going on all around us up here in the Northeast thanks to Sandy I don't feel right at all.  Spiritually speaking I am a sponge.  All of the energy going on around me affects me deeply.  I need to block it sometimes.  I have been weepy and anxious.  I suppose that is evident in my latest pieces.  

We are expecting a Nor easter on Wednesday.  More wind, rain, and potential damage.  Another thing that is out of our control.  I only hope that those who are already suffering from Sandy will be ok as we get hit once again. . . 

A Face Emerges . . .

I am not quite sure how but since this storm my art seems to be changing.  I suppose due to the emotion of it all.  I am liking where it is going.  It is starting to feel more like "me".  Yesterday I posted my first painting where the change can be felt.  Just visit my last post for details on "eye of the storm"

This face emerged from a messy background.  I used watercolor crayons and gesso mixing them together with my hands.  Then I looked around and saw what looked like eye shapes from the background.  I decided to go for it.  I typically don't like to paint a face but this messy imperfect thing feels right to me.  I didn't care that the eyes were lopsided or the nose was too long.  I added the pink along the top for "hair".    The drips just felt right.  

I am sharing her over at Paint Party Friday.  Click HERE to stop by!

Speaking of parties, Julie Prichard from Land of Lost Luggage is hosting one of her own.  Actually it is an art gallery tour and I am excited to have some of my work  featured along with other great artists who have taken classes with her and Chris Cozen.  I have taken many a class with them and they are fab!  Be sure to stop by Julie's blog for the first leg of the tour!  

Click HERE!