Healing

Here is my latest piece, recently completed: 24 X 24 canvas.  It took me months to finish, from the first mind image that came to me in my sleep, to the silver bowl glued to the table.  This was a challenge, as it was the first piece I have made, with intention, with no model.  The table alone took a lot of planning (and erasing!).

The bricks are actually  "mortared" with spackling compound and a trowel.  The "holes" are pieces of cardboard, peeled back to expose the interior, and almost-dried-up wood icing.  The colors are Golden Fluid Acrylics, heavy-bodied acrylics, craft paint, and pastels.  The bowl is silver-leafed.  Truly a mixed-media piece!

This canvas has special meaning.  It holds a lot of symbolism and spirituality for me.  What do you see in it?

Happy Spring?!

I created this little sign, after being inspired by a posting on Pinterest.  The original used coasters (like you get at a restaurant), but I used balsa wood.  I think the coasters would have been a better idea, as the heaviness of the wood may end up scratching my paint job on the door.

Anyway, when I finished it, I hurried downstairs to hang it up, and when I opened the front door, that's when I saw it:  it was SNOWING!   Mother Spring must demand her time!

Here's a Spring Wreath I made yesterday.  I used white eyelash yarn (found that idea on Pinterest), and wrapped it around a styrofoam wreath (I re-used the one I made for V-Day.)  Than cut artificial flowers with a wire cutter and inserted them into the styrofoam.  Also re-used the bow from the V-Day wreath.  I like that the white reminds me of fluffy snow, and then the flowers are a hint of Spring.  It WILL be here soon!

I've also been working on several other pieces of art, but nothing is ready to be posted yet.

My latest

 Just finished this 3 dimensional piece yesterday.  I've had the frame for while; just couldn't think of what to put in it.  While at Michael's a couple weeks ago, this wooden heart caught my eye.  I've always liked to paint on wood.  So I got out some gloss red acyrylic craft paint and painted the top of it red.  Then I etched into it with something I had on my work table (I can't really recall what it was now!)  I really liked the effect; so much so, that I incorporated this same red/etching into a claybord I've been working on (photo of that soon).

I like the coppery effect on the frame and on the edge of the heart, so I also added some copper tape to the frame.  It's sort of a Valentine-inspired piece, but it also feels spiritual to me.

And THIS!  This is so unlike anything I've ever done before!  Being on Pinterest, I think I get inspired by other artwork, and I always go for COLOR in the middle of the winter.  It's Twinkling H2O's on watercolor paper.  Yes, I love circles, don't I?!

Here's my budget-friendly Valentine's Day Wreath.  I bought the styrofoam wreath form at Michael's with my 40% off coupon; everything else I had on hand.  I wrapped the form with pink/green/white checked fabric, then made some rosebuds out of pink crepe paper.  I pinned them, along with vintage valentines I had, and pieces of white paper doilies.  Lastly, I made a bow out of pink chiffon I had on hand.  Altogether, it cost me about $6 (today), and took less than half an hour.  I am proud of myself!  Creativity on a shoestring, is my love!

On The Edge

And here is another piece I completed last week.  A friend gave me a ton of handmade papers that she had brought home from Thailand (thank you Lorraine!), and I decided to tear them into strips and "dye" the strips with fluid acrylics, inks, and dyes.  The horizontal strips are those papers.  The vertical strips are some handmade tissue papers I created a couple of years ago.

Gluing them to the substrate was tricky because of the weave effect, but I managed to do it without getting too messy.  I love the white frame and the white space between the strips.  It almost tells a story of its own. It feels to me that the edges of the strips is the important part here, and thus the name.

What Do You Expect?

This is a piece I finished last week.  I love the vibrant colors, and circles seemed to emerge from everywhere.  The more I looked at it, the more I "saw" a pregnant woman, so I began to bring out that form.    Then I added the collaged pieces of a woman's head and her hands entwined with grapes.  She is so fruitful! Her pregnancy shines as though it is holy.  Not sure if I will keep this title, but it is a bit of a pun, no?