Forget Me Not Abstract

Blue Forget Me Not Abstract - 5x7

Lovely Blue Forget-Me-Not flowers pop up in the garden like a weed. I let them stay because they are so cute... and yet their seeds have little burrs that stick to your clothing. I wonder if that is how it got it's name?

This Blue Forget-Me-Not original abstract painting is now available in my Etsy shop.

What's in my Studio... and Happy Anniversary WOYWW!

Happy Fifth Anniversary to WOYWW - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, hosted by Julia at stamping-ground.blogspot.com.

This week I'm playing around with gesso and watercolor paintings again. The one below I had started and finally added the green leaves last week. Unfortunately in acrylic paint rather than watercolor. O.o

I have a small acrylic set in small tubes that look very similar to my inexpensive watercolor set. And I used the acrylic by mistake... on three different watercolor paintings. Sheesh! 

I'm actually amazed I got it looking watercolor-ish, however am not sure how it will work out from here. I've added a layer of watercolor over the top and we'll see what happens when it dries. 

This is the Lewisia WIP - I've added a layer of yellow watercolor (yes, it IS watercolor), let it dry and then added a layer of blue. It's almost dry and ready for the next layer. I realized that I forgot to leave the blue off where the petals will go... *rolls eyes*  

I apparently love a challenge. :D 

What are you working on today?  To see what other folks around the world are doing, check out Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday. And while you're there, wish Julia and WOYWW a happy anniversary!

Family Portraits

Working on a project for my auntie, who turns 88 this week. She requested my assistance with creating a collage-type picture of her and her parents. The old photos she sent arrived yesterday afternoon, and I've scanned and photocopied and am working on creating something that will make her happy. 

This background first layer is actually photocopies of her writing, torn up and collaged onto a canvas panel. 

I'd asked about a favorite poem, or quote or song, and she remembered a poem by her sister Rosemary she's had posted for many years. When she unfolded it, she discovered that her copy was sent to her by her brother Patrick, which she'd forgotten. 

Both of these siblings died several years ago. Her note was very sweet and I decided that should make up the background. 

This is my preferred layout - early stages. Grandparents "cropped" to head shots. Auntie (in color) needs to be a bit bigger. 

Tinting of the poem (or printing on darker paper), paint to blend in the edges, and another quote still to be added. The layout is awaiting approval before the good copies of the photos are used and glued down and paints/inks applied. 

Final output will be cards for aunties children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and the rest of us cousins too. I'm not sure I can make the cards happen before her party on Sunday (it's a 4 1/2 hour drive away), but the master will be ready to display at her party. 

If auntie gives the okay, I'll share the poem soon. It's lovely. :)

Sharing today with Paint Party Friday

Honeysuckle season

Beautiful honeysuckle in bloom in our garden.

If you look closely, you'll see a Rufous hummingbird at the honeysuckle blossom. He moves so fast it's difficult to get a clear picture. :)

Mid Spring - Works in Progress

A gesso-watercolor abstract painting in progress. Blue flowers... my intent was to create pansies, however that may change as I get into the details. This is with the first layer of color on the leaves. More color will go on the leaves, and then I'll start on the details. That part is always scary... what if I muck it up? :)
It felt good to get back to these paintings, I've been ignoring them for a bit but the muse finally wanted to work on them again. Yay! If I keep the momentum, I'll have several done in the next few days. We'll see. It's hard to be in the studio when the sun is shining!

I did start this painting today, outdoors on the deck. Inspired by the Lewisia we have in pots near the table where we were sitting and finishing our (caffeine free) iced tea.

It doesn't look like much, and I've already decided I should have made it taller (rather than square) as the flower stems are much higher in real life. However, this will be an abstract, so I will take poetic license.

And from the garden this lovely day: 

Red Coral Bells

On another note, a finished piece from last summer is now in my Etsy Shop:

Digital Poppy 5x5 print

Sharing today with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin

How to cure the blahs....

One of the ways that works for me to banish the blahs 

is to go outside and take photos of the garden. 

Or dig in the garden. Or do some weeding. 

Or just be OUTSIDE because it's warm enough to do so.... finally! 
We had sunshine so must take advantage, it can be elusive here. 

 Native Yellow Twig Dogwood blooming along the fence.

Native Bleeding Heart with bee

Wild strawberries! We're going to have a bumper crop this year. 

Poppy  growing on steps (ignore the weeds, I'll get to them soon!)

And since I'm out in the garden, I'm not at my desk...

 so this is the workspace I'll show today. 

The garden bench. :)

P.S. The spray bottle has a mix of ammonia and water which works to, um, dispatch of slugs that are in the veggie garden. The best time to go out is just as it's getting dark as they come out of hiding. ;)

Happy WOYWW everyone! 

Check out what others have on their work desk at Julia's

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

There comes a time...

“There comes a time in your life, 

when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. 

You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. 

Forget the bad, and focus on the good. 

Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. 

Life is too short to be anything but happy. 

Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.” 

~José N. Harris~

Thursday Doldrums... and the result

A bit of the doldrums today... so I spent some time in the studio. No real art-ing done, however I did get some more organizing and cleaning done. My art for the day was making "fun foam" texture stamps for gelliplate pints using shapes I'd cut out some time ago.

The board backings are recycled boxes, and the handles are (crookedly) cut corks. Here's a shot of the backside of one stamp.

These were maiden voyage prints:

Bleh! They did not come out at all how I wanted them to come out, however I can tweak them a bit more. Or cut them up for backgrounds.  :)

Ah well. I'll keep playing with it and perhaps one of these days get it to work I wish it to work.

In the meantime, here's something from my "archives" that makes me happy.

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin

What's in my Studio...

I offer a variety of small easels in my Etsy Shop, to go along with the small art I tend to create. This is a selection of colors for a potential customer. She favors the light mahogany in the front. I hand stain the darker brown colors in my studio. 

This customer would also like a chevron pattern on them, if I can make it happen. I have yet to find a stencil with a small enough pattern to create it for her, however have one more shop in town I'll try tomorrow. Wish me luck! 

And from the garden... our blueberry bush has blooms! Perhaps we'll get more than the hand full we harvested last year. :)

Check out what others have on their work desk at Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

White Lilacs

Green leaves border white.

Spring garden abounds with blooms

Sweet scent on the breeze

Mid-Spring beauties from the garden, these white lilacs are in full bloom and their scent is in the air. The blooms are high enough up (husband likes trimming lower branches) that I used the ladder (with said husband holding it sturdy) to get this photo.

Gelliplate Prints from SeARTle

Thought I'd share a few of the gelliplate prints I created while at SeARTle Art Retreat this past weekend. (Oh my goodness, it was SUCH a fun time!) 

I tried these canvas panels at a friends suggestion. She does amazing things with hers. The yellow/green and blue one I used to pull the print. It has layers of torn book pages and sheet music on it, so the raised areas prevented a good clear print. (I should have figured that out) I then off printed the remaining paint on the brayer to make the additional layers. I offprinted with the brayer and the texturing stencils/materials on the other two canvas panels as well. I'm not sure where these panels are headed, but it's a fun start. I'll definitely play with this technique some more. 

Following are a few of the gelliplate prints I created on paper... at least three layers on most. They are on a variety of papers - old sheet music, large book pages and will probably be used in collage art, or perhaps added to a canvas/canvas panel as the background. The possibilities are endless!

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin