Be

For class, we are working on assemblages. I took some time to play with this myself and came up with this one. Influenced by A New Earth, the time I am most likely to be able to just be, without the worried mind, is when I am creating. It's afterwards though, when the ego comes into play...

oops, forgot to take the rest of that paper off.

Altered roses

Transition to Spring

So quieting to the mind - painting mandalas. centering. focusing.
As I was painting, the purple swirls reminded me of the symbols for aries and yet at the same time, as waves. Waves going in opposite directions, like the fish of pisces swimming in opposite directions. Remembering the past and moving towards the future. Using our history to move us forward. But the little sprout is in the now. Being present.

Complements 101

For Tuesday's class, we are having a lesson in complementary colors. Here's an example that I played around with. It's painted on a piece of matboard.

Preparing for Flight

Painting on collaged paper on mat board. About transformation...........

It may still change a bit, but I'm letting it sit for awhile and moving on to something bigger and more spontaneous. A sharper photo is on the other blog.

Flowers for Me :-)

I've been missing in action here for awhile... lots going on. Art patiently waiting for me to work on.. various works in stages.

Today my wonderful husband brought me some flowers for an early birthday present.

Having flowers in the home in the winter really perks one up... and brought some inspiration. Camera in hand, I took some photos which may be turned into paintings.

Keyword - New

What have I been doing lately? Sharing.
Creating with kids. It was clay week. I used it with every class I had and it seems to have been what we all needed. From abstract pieces to creative creatures in a cage - model magic to plasticine- it was all good.........

And we are usually rewarded at the end of class with beautiful sunsets. With my own art, I've been all over the place - painting, collage, assemblage, furniture and preparing for my new venture teaching in a new studio with older students. Scary and exciting at the same time. It is all good. It's all growth. Youth Art Month preparations, Exhibit of the Young Child prep as well and now a new possibility of a juried art show. Ideas are streaming through my mind and it is ready to explode with all these possibilities...... new beginnings.

Art is good for the Soul!

It was a joy to watch these kids create. some were so absorbed in the process of creating. Others mixed and remixed all the colors until they ended up with brown clay, while some kept the colors seperate and clean. Some were simple, some very full and colorful and other's created an airplane or space ship and played with it.
I love all the swirley colors.....
Liking those beads!

Day 2- creative all day long :-)

Today was a pretty creative day. I began the day with the children's center. We worked with clay - model magic - and primary colors so they could mix new colors. What was kind of nice was how a few kids came in with a bit of a "mood" and watched how it changed. Art is magic.
Art is healing.
Yesterday as I was reading, an image came to me for a painting. I pulled out a canvas, 20 x20 from under the bed and did a quick sketch on it.
Ripped out some more images for my next collage as well. Not only that, but I pulled out an assemblage that I started a while back. It got buried behind a bunch on stuff and I unearthed it today... I brought it to the forefront of the large table to work on.
This made my day today.... One of the kids said he wished I were his teacher and would stay all day long and not go home. Sweet, huh? I told him that I would be back. Nothing in the world like a smiling, happy kid enjoying himself and creating. I'll have to upload the pictures and post some.

Begin Again - Intentions '08

Beginning another year of art. I've decided to begin with a series of collages. These are Intention collages. Today, it is focused on my spiritual intentions of the new year. Practice yoga everyday and challenge myself to grow and expand in my practice. Find more time to go within and listen to that "voice", the one that speaks from my heart and knows all the answers. Keep focusing on my connection to Spirit and when I am being true to myself, I can be and share the truth of my authentic self with you. This is the Self that contributes to the World, a piece of the puzzle, that if I did not share with you and you did not share with others, would create a gap, and the puzzle would miss a valuable piece.

Always return to center. The center within - the heart.

Speak with kindness and good intention and find the sacred in everything.

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 :-)