Triangle Texture Trees

Hope your Christmas is shiny, sparkley, soft, and full of peace and love and joy!

We finished up our portrait dolls today, or most of them anyway. Then moved on to making collages of themselves.
When I turned around at the end of class, this is what I saw! Love the sunsets here at this time of year.

Who are you?

We've been playing around with self portrait dolls in class. Being that it's the holiday, a lot of the kids are making themselves as a Santa or even a reindeer. One wanted to be a rock star. Three of the kids created a Hannukah theme and then some just wanted to be themselves.
They're fun to do. Taking a bit of time as well. Some taking 3 classes to do them which is fine by me.
I want to do one myself.......
For some reason, my own art took a little vacation.
New moon intention: Get back in there and do something adventurous. Something new. Take a risk.
I just picked up Jane Ann Wynn's book, Altered Curiosities. I'll be teaching assemblages and shrines along with altered photographs and collage on canvas at the new studio at Masterpiece Framing. I'm getting really excited about these new classes - older kids, too. Something new for me.
On the path................

Natures Painting

As I was sitting with the kids in art class, I looked up and said, OMG!!!

Time out! and I ran to get my camera.

We have these gorgeous sunsets looking out from this room. I usually wait until this time of the year when they get a chance to see some and then do our sunset paintings.

Kataro kept saying, "like my painting, like my painting"... oh yeah, he is so ready for the next one.

This one was a beaut!

Lately, my art has consisted mostly of photography. I do have some paintings in progress though.

Process

Photographs that will end up altered and on canvas.
I did some painting over the weekend.
Found an old photo, colored it and collaged it onto a small canvas with modeling paste, and glass beads.
Still working on it.
This time around, doing the daily art, I'm working on several pieces and experimenting more.
I came across the box of 6x6's I did last year as my daily devotion to art and looking at them again actually inspired me. I did mostly pen and ink as well as altered photography. My canvases are actually getting smaller. The most recent is 5x5.... far cry from murals!

Bella Luna

I found the x-tra zoom on my camera. sshheeesh. I only had it for a year!
hey, better late than never.
As I was coming home from my mom's, I spotted the moon rise and chase after it until I drove downtown and watched it over the "vacant" lot that hopefull will someday be a park.
I love the moon when it comes up over the horizon, big a full.
I forgot it was cold out and it really brought my energy up. Glorious, beautiful Luna!
I would so love to have a camera that would shoot it like a telescope, to really see it up close. I'd also like a camera that would take extremely close up pictures. I may see if I can get a lens for this.
Now to go alter some photos.

Magical Lands

playing around with a photo of trees from the zoo and added some magic to it.
Thankful for the computer and camera... such wonderful toys.
Thankful for the imagination and all we are capable of.

I'm experimenting with adding a signature......
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


how cool is that!

altered photos

I didn't get any art done yesterday.
This morning I went right into the art room and played a little with these photos.
I am really loving the Peerless Watercolors, but I may try something new on the next one.
Working on a painting/collage and finishing up on the tiles.

still painting..............

More fruit.
Still working on this as well as some other art projects.
Altering photos.
Painting on canvas.
Painting a chair.
But today, it was the fruit. Inside on a very rainy day.
Bliss: painting and listening to music.
Life is good :-)

A little Magic

There is so much going on this week and I'm trying to jam it all in along with some creative time for me.
I'm piecing it in here and there, along with necessary stuff, like laundry.
I took Angela Cartwright's new book, Mixed Emulsions, with me to the laundromat and it really inspired me to go back into my photos and take another look at them.
This is from the zoo. I turned it into a black and white, printed it on glossy paper and then colored it with Peerless Watercolors.
As I'm coloring it, I'm seeing all kinds of things I would not have noticed, a little magical kingdom that I am thinking of "pulling" out of this picture... or even creating a new painting from it. Endless possibilites!
I'm still painting tiles. And I'm still playing around painting a chair.
My morning had a wonderful turn-around to it as I learned I won a print from Cre8tiva which you can see here.
I had a wonderful class working with clay (always seems to calm them) and then an evening creating, playing, experimenting...

New Moon - Communicate!

I did a little bit more on the tiles... these are really taking me awhile. Need to focus and get these done. Still needs more work.......
Then I found another old canvas. I was on a round canvas kick for awhile. Most likely for mandalas and I started one, but never finished it. I kept some of the center and then just added to it today.
I did this after the New Moon.
As part of my new moon intention, which is a continuation of last month's, is to keep painting. On top of that, my intention is to exhibit.
This new moon is in my 3rd house. House of communication and it is my intention to communicate through my art. Put it out there! ( being in Scorpio, some of that deep stuff within I'm sure will come to the surface as well..).
The Art Everyday group is right in synch with this..

Creative day 7 Nest Painting

I added a few more touches. The yellow feather for the bird in the dream.

This morning some thoughts on this painting were about the continuation of life, birth and death, the cycle of life.
The nest symbolic of this being round, the egg a symbol of new life and yet appearing as a full moon, symbolizing it's completion. Beginnings and Endings.
The water also represents the journey. I am not comfortable with water. Here is where fear lies. Fear of death, the unknown, that which is hidden from us. Death, grief, shedding the tears to help us release the pain.

In order for newness, the birth of something, to come into our life, we need to make room for it. No more water can come into a full cup.
I am learning how to release and let go in order to bring in that which will bring me joy, self-awareness, experiences for spiritual fulfillment. Growth.
I'm keeping a little room open for newness to enter.

Nest Egg

I painted the nest last night and painted the inside today. It went in a different direction than the first idea I had, which is more often the case than not.
Where it will continue to go, I'm not sure...
Part of it came from a strange dream. I was outside my mother's house in the back on the stairs, pre-deck days. I watched a bird cleaning out her nest. A yellow and black bird, she would shake the nest and then pour water out of it.
I watched my grandmother walk by quietly, putting her finger to her lips as if to say, ssshh, don't say anything. But I did. I told my mother and brother, "I saw grandma, I really did see her"
Nice to have a visit in your dream, don't ya think :-)

Creative day 6

Sorry, no photo yet... I did do a little more on the collage with the kids yesterday, but my real creative time was last night.
I chose to use the round canvas, which I recycled. So much easier to obliterate something that turned out to the least of my expectations. I still find the blank white canvas a bit intimidating and it actually is silly because I can paint right over it if I don't like it. Anyway, I like where this canvas is going, where my mind is heading....

Although my day is broken up today, hopefully I can put in some good creative time before yoga class and then afterwards.
I love that this came in my mailbox today from the Daily Om. If you are an Aquarian, this is just a bit of the horoscope for today:
You also may be ready to stretch yourself beyond your current limits. Another possibility is that you are tired of hiding and are ready to share yourself and your gifts with the world. You were given the skills and talents that you have so you could share them with others and make the world a better place.
and right after I did the heart meditation (on other blog)... love it :-)

Monday's creativity with a class

Mondays are one of my busier days, not leaving a lot of time for "me" art. What I did to resolve that was to sit down with the kids and do art with them. This class is mellow enough to do it. We did collages. In between classes, I cleaned out some papers in the closet and found some great paper and magazines for our collages. I kept the theme to houses. It was fun finding things that were unusual to be a roof or window or door and it got them excited every time I found something "different". It was a great class. I didn't get to finish it, but today we are doing the same project, so I'll work on it some more

day 4 prep and sketch

No images to show. Sketched an idea for another painting. Base-coated one round canvas and a gallery wrapped 8x8 canvas. Used my coupon to get another canvas at Micheals (not their store brand). The gallery wrapped ones are interesting in that it can stand on its own and I have an idea to use the back, (a niche) as well.
Tomorrow's another day.. for now I relax and read, keeping that sketchbook nearby.

Harvest Moon

Part of yesterday's wonderful day of painting... I added the butterflies and then called it a night.
This was a canvas that I was playing around with months ago, applying modeling paste and tar gel to it. It was then painted with lumiere paints, copper, gold, purple, blue... I had some foamcore pieces that also had modeling paste, but on a whim I painted over the whole canvas.

I was inspired by a dream I had. I may have written about it before, but instead of digging for it, here it is: I was looking into my bedroom from the art room. I saw a large tent-like cocoon that was filled with small black cocoons which transformed into butterflies. I went over to close the window so they wouldn't get cold and then into the kitchen to get fruit for them to eat.

I started to do some heart meditations, visiting my heart, each chamber recording whatever images came up.

It's about the harvest moon, what we harvest from our heart and how it transforms us. The heart is only halfway seen because it is still in the transformative stage, entering shyly into this new world. Be Brave my heart!

I like that the texture of the tar gel comes through in this spiraling, cocoon-like shape. Sometimes we must go through turmoil in order to reach the other side, to come out of our cocoon is pure faith. Faith in knowing that the Universe holds better things for us if we just allow it...

Flying with the Condor- Day 3

There's a lot to this painting... a lot of meaning for me personally. I spent this wonderful time in Peru this past spring with a friend of mine. I realized after returning that there is much more that I would like to see, Lake Titicaca being one of them.
She represents the Condor.
I am the tree. I use the image of a tree a lot.
I want to fly. I like flying. To see the earth from another perspective, above, makes me in awe of our amazing planet. So much to see. So much beauty!
In my spiritual life, I seek balance. I can be a bit too "flighty" and I'll chalk that up to having a predominance of Air signs and am very much in my head because of it. I do have some earth though, moon and rising sign and a Taurus husband. Very earthy. He keeps me rooted, maybe he would like me to be more rooted :-)
The painting is about transformation. How can I be rooted and still be true to myself and fly?
Probably no accident that I chose two panels here. The duality of life, trying to maintain balance. Keeping one foot rooted, while ready to take flight with new wings.
Bringing balance by listening to my heart more and not so much in my head.
Tomorrow I start another process of going through the chakras beginning with the root chakra. More on that later.
I need to refine it a bit and who knows if anything will be added, but I know one thing: Don't buy cheap canvas from Michaels anymore.

Day 2- a sketch

I had such a full day of work yesterday, that it wasn't until 9:00 when I was able to do anything creative for myself. I was watching a travel program on Easter Island and when they mentioned some similarities of stonework with Cusco, I was planted!
I did go get my sketchbook and played with an idea for the next step in my painting. I had an idea while doing this. I need a model and why not use the tv... there were some nice native bodies on this show :-)
Today I'll have the day for me... explore the inner depths of my being through art!
Image later.........

Creative Every day starts today

I was thinking of trying to get the Daily Devotion group started up, but I found this blog, Creative Every Day and joined up with them to help keep me motivated. I makes me feel as though I'm accountable.
Today as I was washing up after class and the strongest feeling of painting again, being in a studio and exhibiting came over me. This is what I want.
I love the classes and all I do, but it's time for me to get back into my own self-expression through painting. These canvases have been collecting dust long enough.
Just keep painting. And today I did.

Back to Creating

I painted today. Started a new canvas even though the other one isn't finished.

Actually I started two 8x10's. Sky with a bit of land. A mountaintop. I've got this urge to do some collaging but whenever I start painting it takes on a life of it's own and just wants to go somewhere else, so I let it.

My intention is to get back to painting or creating something everyday.

Yesterday on my walk I found this tree that was mostly changed. There are so many green trees still. Usually by Halloween all the leaves are down, let alone changed. Not yet though. Still very warm weather. Still getting figs and tomatoes as well. Oh life is good :-)

I'm not complaining!

why is it when you are looking for a stamp, it is always in the last drawer. On the way to it, you've spent 4 hours reorganizing all your stamps. The color is a bit off on this, but this is for Adriane. Happy Birthday.
Better late than never.
So this was how I spent my day. Making some pretty bad cards until I finally let it go. She's getting this one. It would have been nice to drop it in her mailbox today, but tomorrows another day..........

First Class

We started the first class with a simple collage/shape recognition project. Fun to watch how they decide or randomly put pieces. Some are so deliberate. Others are layering pieces randomly.
This is the older group. With the exception of one child, I forgot to take pictures. I did remember with the younger ones though.
It looks as if I will be having two seperate groups. The 4's then the 3's which works out really well. I cannot imagine working with 30 children at once and still have fun.
One little girl is camera shy, so the teacher held up her work. In April, we will have an exhibit.. The Week of the Young Child will be our reception.
The exhibit includes their art, photos and quotes.

Gyotaku at Kie's home

thank you Kie for the picture :-)

Day 16 - Diversity

It is the diversity we bring to each other. Where I live is culturally diverse and I am all the better for it. I love to travel and would hope to do much more of it, but I am grateful for the exchange of culture when I have the opportunity. We experienced Goytaku, which means fish rubbing at a friends house. Her father who is visiting showed us this art. I love the brush!
First you prepare the fish by cleaning off the slime. Wine gets rid of the smell :-)
The fish is carefully painted with sumi ink. The eye is usually left unpainted.
Carefully place thin paper, rice paper here on top and begin to gently press the paper, making sure to get all the details of the fin, mouth. We used a sponge.
Gently pull the paper up and....
tada!!! Fish print.
Keeping with the theme we ate a Japanese restaurant in town (a gift from 2 yoga students). Delicious.
Thank you to Kei and her mom and dad.
Arigato.

Gyotaku

We had a wonderful time at Kei's house, sharing this experience of fish printing. Kei's father, visiting from Japan, demonstrated it for us and so generously carved a stamp for each of us - a character of our name or the sound closest to our name. My character is (sounds like) Doe or Door meaning Earth or Grow. We carved the character on another block in the reverse, cutting it in the negative to his positive. Kei's mom cooked some dumplings and it was such a wonderful and fun evening with such generous and gracious hosts.


Gyotaku (pronounced ghee-oh-tah-koo), the Japanese art of fish rubbing, is believed to have originated in the mid-1800s (though other forms of nature printing date back to at least the time of Leonardo DaVinci).
In brief, a fish is caught, then meticulously cleaned of all mucus, blood, dirt, etc., and dried thoroughly. The fish is then positioned as it would appear in life; that is, each fin is propped open in the swimming position. Next, the fish is brushed with ink (with the exception of the eye, which may or may not be removed prior to inking) and a sheet of paper is carefully pressed or rubbed over it. When the paper is lifted from the fish, a highly detailed image is left on the paper, in much the same way you might leave a fingerprint. In traditional gyotaku, only the fish's eye may be painted by hand. Although Japanese anglers originally created the rubbings to record precise data of specific catches, they soon recognized the aesthetic quality of the works. Gyotaku has been practiced in the United States only since the 1950s--but never widely.
The first gyotaku were created using sumi ink (a natural carbon-based ink) on handmade paper (washi). Today, various media are used. Many practitioners use water-based block printing inks, but prints are also made using oil-based inks, acrylic paints, and watercolors. (Printing with nontoxic inks or paints allows the fish to be eaten afterwards.) Although fine papers are still widely used in the fish-printing process, fabrics such as muslin and silk are also employed.

Zoo Day :-)

Went to the Bronx Zoo today. Next time we leave earlier... and I bring a camera with a bigger zoom lens. Missed the butterfly house and the gorilla house. What we did see: Jungle World (always a must) and the Bird house which always seems to be the last on the list. This is probably good, because you want it to be quiet in there - no screaming kids. We saw a very entertaining polar bear, and very active tigers. Monkeys on the other blog with the tiger...

Blue Light magic

Last night we went to Annie's Cafe and of course I brought my camera. I bring it every where. I was taken by the blue glow of the candle and started taking some shots.
Thinking this one of John is good for Halloween. One of our discussions was about getting a new camera... oh yeah, I am loving that conversation!

Penis Envy

Last night some relatives brought by the zuccha longo but of course we had to play with it first before it got cooked.