STILL IN THE BLACK AND WHITE GARDENS

I can't stop these.  When I am drawing these, it's effortless, it's soothing and even mesmerizing to just let
the pen flow onto the paper.  I love tapping into the creative juices.  Using black and white and no color,
it focuses your attention on design instead of color.  I do so love color.  But this kind of drawing for me stimulates my creativity and design.  Using black and white patterns reminds me of a quilt with mixed patterns.  I am actually playing with an idea to take these sketches somewhere.  Still just a dialogue between me and the universe at this point, so can't say more.  But most of all, I am having so much fun.
And staying in the NOW when I do these.  ta..

WINTER'S GIFT

Finished this piece just as the weather has turned here in Colorado. BRRR~~~  We are expecting snow in the mtns today.  I am holding on to the notion that it will warm up again, and this is just a passing front.  But oh, the passing of summer always leaves me shivering and a little sad.  So into my art I focus on the beauty of snow and cold.  Trying to alter my mood.  Showing some of the progress here.
  Out of the background I found this girl walking in the woods with a nesting bird in her arms.  Polka dots
sparkling on her coat, her joy in nature and winter embraces her season.  As I am looking at the piece

here I see a heart that is calling out so I will have to bring it into the scene.

And there's the heart..  and I couldn't stop!  More small hearts in the branches and the bird is holding one in his beak.  I added some more details to the bird and now I think I am done.

ta

MUSIC IN MY HEART

This sweet bird flew into my art this morning.

She knew he was there.  She could hear his song.  As he came closer, she looked into his eyes and felt his music in her heart.  It lifted her spirit and she felt the wind bring her closer to the autumn sky.

GARDEN LADY

She is in her element. The flowers, the bird in her nest, all create these sweet, loving and nurturing

surroundings that she is blessed with. Our gardens can offer such a retreat at a moment's notice. Step outside and be in the now with nature.

I am trying to get outside as much as possible because fall is sweeping in and I am always sadden to see winter coming. I try to embrace the beauty of winter, but find I am always creating more flowers and gardens in my art as an escape from the cold snowy outside.

This art was pulled from the background and I have 3 more to do. fun. really.

ta

BRIGHT COLORS

I PLAYED THIS WEEKEND!

Finally was able to have a jammie art day.

Well, nearly all day. Morning, really.

This is a 16 x 20 birch board panel.

I had it in my stash of mistakes, do overs,

you know, the pile of art that didn't make the ah ha moment. You work on these

flub ups and finally toss them in a dark closet to be tackled another day.

So out came this neglected board, and it

evolved into a happy piece. I love working with fabric in collage. Plus it helped that I finally organized my fabric stash...

I have another day at the locals market tomorrow and they are asking for recycled art. So this fits nicely into that category. Recycled art board, old dictionary pages, buttons, fabric..

all from my save pile. I painted her face on a piece of cardboard that I cut out. I had tried to collage her face with

fabric but she looked scary.. so I improvised and covered that face up. Which I thought was a nice way to cover the scary feelings of those dark clouds that try to blot out our light in life.

The words on the tree say the following:

"She knew that she could keep the Bright Colors alive, even when the world threw dark clouds at her. Nothing could darken her spirit."

That is my mantra most days. I am fortunate that I am able to stay in the light mostly. I do

have days when dark runs me over now and then, but I am blessed with being able to

pick myself up, and open the curtains wide.

Are your curtains wide open today?

ta

edit

I finally, after months of exasperating technical issues, this afternoon we got the big PROBLEM resolved.

I have been striving to stay positive through this entire challenge-- To not let the

fear overtake me. Once again, working my thoughts out with my art, staying in the light,

not allowing the Dark to take over my spirit, I have prevailed.

You just have to keep the faith baby.

AND DO ART! IT DOES SAVE LIVES!

HANGING OUT THE LAUNDRY

I have a commissioned art piece that has been on my to-do board for well over a year. When they say: "no hurry" it can be the kiss of death. Or at least procrastination at it's worst.

So I finally heard from this lovely woman sweetly asking how the painting is coming along, and of course I cringed at my embrassing tardiness. I always struggle with commissions. It's the ultimate approval factor that always stresses me out. So jumping into the work this morning, I decided to work on Yupo paper using my watercolors. Yupo is very slick and the watercolor is very fluid on this paper. Drying it with a heat gun is nearly impossible because the heat can easily warp the paper so you must be very patient. Not one of my biggies. But I love the fluidity and the surprises that can come with Yupo.

She wanted a piece of art for her new laundry room. I originally thought of a whimsical clothes line in a garden. But now have decided it's in the trees and the lines are between the birdhouses..

the one line you can see, the other one is above and it stretches between the two roofs. I lightly sketched it in with pencil. So I will work on this later. Too many orders starring at me presently. To work I go... ta