Tag Archives: acrylic

Nov29

Why Not?

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This time of year we are all not just a little busy, but with the holidays, it is difficult to find time for the things we need to keep us balanced, and happy.  This certainly is the case with me.  Usually the last three months of the year are busy with the beginning of holiday shopping, preparation of Thanksgiving, and gifts.  My thoughts are always in the gift giving mode.  What to buy whom, what will the grandkids love,  what about my grown kids, and what about my hubby.  My hubby and I are good to each other all through the year, so there isn’t pressure there, but we still like to surprise each other with a little  something we want.

This artist is just what I needed to see right now.  Her free style and fun of painting is perfect for me!  This is a large painting, and in my home there isn’t anywhere I could stretch out a canvas this large, unless maybe the driveway.  But……there are smaller versions of this style of art, versions  anaything anyone could imagine to paint.

I particularly love the jeans, and how she wipes her spatula off on her leg!  My kind of gal!  I’ll bet all her clothes have paint on them,  just like most of us.  In fact my motto is,  if it doesn’t have paint on it, I’m not trying hard enough!

I hope you find some kind of inspiration from this video, I know I did.  And even though I don’t have a lot of time to create this time of year,  it does take the stress of the holidays away just watching how free her work is!

Oct27

“3 of 3”

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Inspired by all the fall colors, and the fact that we are getting ready to take a vacation to Northern California, I decided to paint another watercolor….in fall colors!

For some reason the watercolors I was sick of working with many years ago, seem to be what brings me joy today.  The mixing  of paint; watercolors, acrylic and even ink seem to be calming to me at a time when everyone is agitated about politics.  Boy, will I be glad when the election is over, the ads will be off the TV, and we can get back to talking about the  small stuff.

One of the reasons I stopped working in watercolors was the  length of drying time.  My creative self  started demanding instant gratification, and working on a painting that somehow was finished in a day or two was more than enticing.  Each piece was so different, as is the acrylic,  the time spent on just one petal or leaf seemed like forever, time spent on an acrylic petal, or leaf was oh so quick.  The fact that a watercolor has to be treated differently to hang it in a room, is surly a downside, but hey I’m up for a challenge.  Why not seal it, and mount it to a canvas.  It’s been done before, and it will be done again!

I’m an experimental artist, so let’s experiment!

Les and I are headed to Lake Tahoe later this week, and I expect to come home so revitalized, refreshed and once again grounded.  The air and trees always inspire me, and I don’t expect this time to be any different.  Nature is so amazing…..

Temperatures up North have dropped, from what we are use to  that is.  It’s cold up there and I expect we pansys are going to feel like it’s freezing.  We feel like it’s freezing when it get to the 60’s here.  We will moan, and groan, and rush from one place to another.  We aren’t going up there to gamble, just to be refreshed, and have a change of pace.  To regain an appreciation for all that we don’t have in Southern California.

There will be no hunkering down to keep warm at the expense of adventure!

Our plan is to visit some friends while up there, and let them tease us about how light weight we are for thinking it’s cold.  After all, they’re use to it, and I’m sure it won’t be as cold as it will be later in the winter.  They’ll have every right to tease us!   It will be a treat to have people we know to share dinner with, and maybe even a fire in the fireplace!

I’m hoping to do a little sketching… so my sketch book, and  pens are ready to go.  We are both looking forward to our little adventure before the holidays.

Happy Halloween everyone…..

Oct4

More Little Experiments!

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Abstract

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This is what happens when you play with wild abandon.  As I start working the crazy just started rolling out of me!  It rolled, and rolled until this is the result.  Lots of black and red, and foil.

My studio has been humming with lots of experimenting lately, and who knows what will hatch next? All things that I see, hear, smell and touch are subject to an abstract interpretation.

What is rolling out of your studio?  Do you see crazy there like I do, or is it more sane?  Email me and let me know, and while your emailing me, send a picture of what you are doing.  I’d love to see it, and maybe post it as well if you don’t mind.

The way we grow is to experiment, so lets all grow, or maybe it sounds better to lets all experiment…….

Sep20

Abstract Faces

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As most of you know from watching my blog, Bob Burridge is one of my favorite artists!  He is loose, and fun to take a class from.  But, most of all his method really works.  I have taken many classes from Bob, and have never been disappointed…not even once.  I have however, left his class dragging, unable to do much else for the remainder of the day.  If the class is a week long class, be prepared to take a week to recuperate.  He has that much energy, and isn’t afraid to share it with all the students!

For me, it isn’t as easy as it looks, or maybe I’m trying too hard, regardless of the reason, I keep trying.  While I finish up the last two abstracts, I thought you might like to watch this video.  Even Bob doesn’t get it right the first time!  By the way, he had a great website with all kinds of information.  Check it out, and sign up for his newsletters…it’s free!

 

 

Sep5

Taking a Breather…

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Bits & Pieces 2 - Mixed Media

Bits & Pieces 2 – Mixed Media

After creating several pieces for the last month or so, today I find myself with a lack of inspiration.  I’d love to be cutting, ripping, glueing, and piecing things together, but for now I’m out of inspiration.  It won’t take long I’m sure, but I feel lazy.  This must be a day for replenishing inspiration, and the energy for creation.

Monday is a free day for me.  Nothing goes on the first day of the week, except…..art!  So, I’m thinking of looking through the YouTube videos for ideas and inspiration  in hopes of finding something that will trigger my imagination.

The piece above is one of the last few things to be created.  I have to chuckle at how I start something with the intention of going in a certain direction, and before I realize it, I’ve made a turn, and the direction has changed 360 degrees.  This is one of those pieces.  After dragging out all the “stuff” for the intended piece, I now have to put it all away.  The only thing that was intended was the color.  Yay for me!

If you get a chance check out Zebra Designs & Destinations…  see what they have been up to in Equador.

Aug4

Ending of July!

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Can you believe we are starting a new month? I’ve been creating like crazy, and here is my latest abstract. I’ve tried to name my pieces prior to starting them, however they never turn out as I had planned. Lately I’ve been picking my colors, my canvas, and maybe a few pieces of paper or foil that I think might go into the new piece nicely, and more frequently than not……they never make it in.

Bob Burridge always says to name them first, know where you are going, have your colors all ready, and know the design.  I know he is intuitive, abstract, and is in his right brain while painting, but what I don’t know is how he plans all that out.  I can never know where my painting is going, and when I think I do…..It tells me,  “I don’t want to go that way!”  Just like a spoiled child.

 Yes I consider my paintings children. There hasn’t ever been a painting that I’ve worked on that has gone as planned.  I don’t like knowing where they will end up, but what I do like is being as surprised as anyone when it turns out completely and unexpectedly different!

The best feeling in my opinion, is when I start to work in my studio, something starts to look good, and all of a sudden it’s late in the day, and I’ve been working all day without interruptions.  That’s when I realize I’ve been playing with my inner child, and totally in my right brain!  What a joyous feeling.

I hope you like my last painting in July of 2016.  August brings a finished watercolor painting that one of my friends asked me to do. It’s just about dry, and one more last look at the balance.  I soon will be posting both paintings prior to sending them off to their new home.

Let’s start August with a big burst of creative energy!  Meanwhile, I’m going to check in with Zebra Designs & Destinations to see what Z is up to.  I hope you’ll check them out also.   By for now……