Playful Painting

I just started playing with monoprints. 

Today I cut some up and started collaging a garden.

Cure for Crabbiness

Spontaneously take a 1/2 day off of work.
Eat peach shortcake for dinner.
Draw yourself some flowers.
Run 3 miles. : )

Inspiration

Today we went to the Hyde Park Art Center to see the Sketchbook Project Mobile Library. It was exciting to check out Ellie's sketchbook and browse through many more. We also saw lots of beautiful art throughout the art center. Ellie was so inspired she wanted to buy the next sketchbook on site. 

 Along with the mobile art library was an art swap. Cards and markers were available to draw something and drop in a basket. Draw something and then take one left by another artist.

 Here is my doodle that I left behind.

Here is the drawing I chose from the basket. It was created by Bianca Diaz. I loved it because it was of Chicago and we were visiting Chicago. Now that I have visited her website and seen lots more of her beautiful work I love it even more.

The Ultimate Guide to Repeats

Here are a couple more textile designs which were a result of the online class I recently took. The Pattern Observer is promoting the start of the next session for the Ultimate Guide to Repeats and featured one of my designs from the class. You can read there how much I enjoyed and appreciated what I learned. Thanks Michelle and Chelsea.

Happy Spring!

The girls and I had fun experimenting with new egg coloring techniques. We wrapped some eggs with paper towel and dripped food coloring on them for a tie-dye effect. From there, Maya decided to drip food coloring onto a paper towel and brush it on. Possibly their most favorite decorated eggs of all. Ellie doesn't want anyone to eat them. She'll have to understand that this photo is all that can preserve them.

Textural Pattern

I recently took a 4 week online textile design course. I felt that I needed to focus on learning the various repeat and measuring techniques. So instead of creating new art, I pulled from old work I had already done. These watercolor sedum sprouts are from my Sketchbook Project pages from 2011. After many hours of fussing with the layout I think I might have spent less time creating new art?

Scribble Sprouts

I have learned many fun new things about textile design! Here is my first attempt and the result of hours of practice on the process.

Simple Swirl

Quick Sharpie colored doodle made into pattern.

Dreaming of designing textiles.

Happy New Year!

As a child the anticipation of the holidays was so full of excitement and joy and the day after felt completely deflated. As a mother, the anticipation of the holidays feels like drudgery and the day after feels like a revival. I hope this doesn't sound too pessimistic? It is difficult to describe. It is a learning experience. This holiday season I have improved on simplification, prioritization, relaxation. I enjoyed the holidays very much and am looking forward to the tranquility that follows.

Merry Christmas!

A day late, but yes, I baked. It's not too late to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hope you are having a joyous holiday season. Looking forward to new beginnings, new ideas – maybe some sort of personal Renaissance – that may inspire others? Wouldn't that be nice?

Happy Thanksgiving

My favorite part of the day – homemade pie. Like last year, we shared the work. Maya made the pecan, Ellie made the apple, and I made the pumpkin.

More colorful

Pokeweed. 12x12 acrylic on canvas

I've been wanting to paint something more colorful. The bright red violet stems and berries of pokeweed could not be more striking.

Halloween

Quite a different Halloween this year. I felt it had already passed because at the office we are working on Thanksgiving. Maya has outgrown trick-or-treating. Ellie is old enough to go without me. I am grateful that I was able to work from home just to be around for it. And thankful that Ellie had enough time and energy to carve a pumpkin. Our family traditions that have stuck: Charlie the skeleton was given to us by Grandpa Bob many years ago. One of our few decorations - he must always sit on the front porch. Lucky's third year in our home and the girls made her wear the tutu again. Such a sweet sleepy ballerina puppy.

Garbage Picking

Yesterday on my way to work I drove past a house with a huge mountain of garbage at the curb which included stacks and stacks of furniture. I did a quick u-turn in the middle of the road to rescue this end table from the top of the heap. The girls did not want me to bring it in the house because they think it smells horrible. This morning I scrubbed it down with a variety of cleansers and it does still have a very peculiar smell that resembles rotten pickles? I don't know if I will ever take the time to strip it down. The finish is in pretty bad shape and the shelf, I'm guessing, was a late addition of a piece of ply wood glued in. I am surprised how well it matched the rest of the piece. I just couldn't resist.

Critique

I am grateful for my artist friends who invited me into their critique group. Two different approaches on these recent pieces, but I received affirmation that I could continue with both. As Linda says about the second piece.... "paint 100 more like that."

Award of Excellence

What's more surprising than having 3 painting accepted into the Salon Show? Receiving an Award of Excellence at the opening reception today. The show will hang through the end of October. If you are in Northwest Indiana be sure to check it out.

Really?!

Really?! The follow up to my post "Not really." I said that I haven't been painting. I'm not satisfied with my work. Not ready for a show. Truth is: I'll probably never feel satisfied. If I do, I'll become complacent and not move forward. I'll probably never feel ready. So I entered 3 recent works in the 69th Annual Salon show and all 3 were accepted.

Still Playing with Pattern

Doodle Colored

doodle, doodle, doodle

Not Really

Friday night I attended an opening reception at the Co-Prosperity Sphere in Bridgeport. As always, it was great to be surrounded by art and artists. Especially delightful to see people that I have not seen in years. A few of them asked me if I have been painting. My answer: "No. Not really." Why do I deny this? I have not been consistent in my effort or technique. I am not satisfied with any one painting nor does any one of them feel complete. I can't say I have a body of work or that I am ready for a show, but that doesn't mean I haven't painted.