I recently joined the Facebook group Art Abandonment started by artist  Michael DeMeng.  Michael is an assemblage artist and author of “Secrets of Rusty Things”, one of the first mixed media books I purchased. His work can be seen in galleries across the country, and he teaches his process in workshops worldwide.

Art Abandonment is a group designed to encourage random acts of art, left in various locations around the globe. The idea is for people to make something and leave it somewhere for an unsuspecting person to find.  The artists can then post the locations and photos of the abandoned artwork…and finders can let everyone know that they are the lucky finder. This group has over 4,700 members and is growing daily. How cool is that!

I abandoned my first piece yesterday at Panera Bread. I felt like a little kid sneaking around trying to place and photograph it without getting caught.

 

This is definitely something I will continue to do… and hopefully someday will be a finder too. 

Please check out the FB page for Art Abandonment and Michael DeMeng’s website, his artwork is incredible. 

Thanks for stopping by…please check in from time to time for future abandonment postings or subscribe to my blog and you will get them automatically. 🙂

 

Mixed Media from the Heart.

I just finished step three… paint, stamp, ink, stencil, etc… over the paper background.   I’m having fun with these new techniques.

Still seems a bit strong, but it’s true to the color palette and it’s beginning to grow on me. 🙂

I may play around some more. The trick is not to go to far… a point of no return. That would not be good.

Step four will come next week.  I will keep you posted. 🙂

Mixed Media from the Heart.

I thought it might be enjoyable to view the creative process in action. I’m in the second week of Mixed Media from the Heart an online e-course given by Danita.  Our first assignment (week 1) was to start a color journal.  She encouraged us to go through our favorite magazines and cut out color images we found complimentary and pleasing.

Here are a few of mine. Images from BH&G.

The next step (week 2) we were to use these same colors to collage the background of a future painting. I chose the first page in the photograph for the pretty shades of pink and green.

I’m not sure about it?? It looks a little heavy. If your familiar with my art, I have a tendency to work very light and airy. So this is definitely outside my comfort zone. But, I’m committed to the process and curious to see where it leads.

Wish me luck.

Thanks for stopping. Sharing makes this process fun. 🙂

 

 

Breathe- to pause, as for breath; take rest:

Do you ever feel like everything is happening at once? Whether it’s good or bad… sometimes we need to just take a breath. Three looooong deep breaths to be exact.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all that’s on my plate. Granted, as usual it is I who has filled my plate to overflowing, but there is so much I want to do and need to learn in order to reach my goals and fulfill my BIG dreams.

Fortunately, I have learned over the years when it’s time to slow down and just breathe…

Ignoring this will most definitely lead to burnout. So, I decided to take a “Time Out”, go outside, take in some fresh air and snap a few photos. It’s quite warm here in Florida, but still enjoyable in the shade.

Now a glass of cold water and a light lunch and all will be right with the world again. 🙂

BREATHE…………….

This post is dedicated to my Grandma Marie. She has been gone for quite awhile, but she will be in my heart and memories forever.

My siblings and I always loved going to grandma’s house. Her home sat high on top a hill the backyard had a garden full of fresh veggies, grapevines, and lots of ground to play on.  On weekends the whole family, seven of us including my parents would go there and stay.  I remember sitting around the dining room table in the evenings and having the most delicious home cooked dinners.

The house was old and smelled of moth balls, the funny thing is, to this day I still love the smell of mothballs. It’s not a common smell anymore. Sometimes you’ll get a wiff of it here or there in an antique shop or second hand store and it immediately takes me back to grandma’s and all the special moments spent in her home.

I created a new piece this week titled “Memories of Her”.  I had no plans to create a piece with her in mind but here it is…

I love using old pattern paper and found objects in my art. I have also started incorporating sewing into some of the work.  So how does this piece relate to her?  When I was 10 0r 11 she gave me my first and only sewing machine.  She ordered it from the Sears & Roebuck catalog,  it’s pretty antiquated, has no bells and whistles, and weighs a ton but I don’t have the heart to replace it.

Actually, it still works and I used it on this piece. The rectangles behind each small work of art was stitched using that machine.

I think she saw creativity in me at a young age and always tried to encourage me in her gentle loving way.

Thanks Grandma, love you and miss you still.

I have a little announcement I would like to share with you:

I will be the featured artist on the Mixed Media May 2012 website today. It’s a month long daily representation of 30 different mixed media artists.

I feel truly honored to have been chosen to be among this group of artists.

Please click on the link below and check it out 🙂

http://www.mixedmediamay.com/2012-2

Thanks so much for dropping in…please come again. 🙂

“The earth laughs in flowers”…..Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I wanted to share a snap shot of the beautiful tulips I received on Mother’s Day. Tulips are without a doubt my favorite flower. One of the things on my bucket list is to go to Holland and just lay in a sea of tulips. That would be Heaven on earth.

I guess my love affair with tulips started in my childhood. I have fond memories of going to my grandmother’s home and seeing tulips everywhere. Springtime in her neighborhood was glorious. She lived in a small town outside of Pittsburgh.  So many of the homes were lined with tulip borders in all the various colors. I remember them even peeking through the last days of snows some years.

All nature is but art.      An Essay on Man: Epistle 1      Alexander Pope- 1733

Hopefully these snapshots of the simple beauty of tulips will put a smile on your face. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by…

I had a most enjoyable day today. It’s 8:17 pm and I am still in my pajamas.  This morning I had breakfast, started a load of laundry then went into my studio.

I had nothing in mind, just a blank 8″ x 10″ wood canvas. Several hours later around 6:00 pm I had this…

I love getting lost in the creative process. Hours go by without notice. It’s a rare occurrence so I take full advantage whenever possible.

What a great Mother’s Day!!!

I will soon have prints of  “Pastel Dream” available in my Etsy shop. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂