Sketch of a Fairy Princess

I sketched this fairy princess a couple of years back and finished it with Prisma Pencil.  (I will find and post that finished picture).  I covered the back of the sketch with a bright green soft pastel paint in order that I can transfer this sketch to any media paper to paint.  

It's on the schedule!

Other People's Words That Move Me - Poetry

The Poetry of Mary Oliver

"My work is loving the world,

Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird - 

Equal seekers of sweetness, 

Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums. 

Here the clam deep in the specled sand . . . ."

Other People's Words That Move Me

I try to remember this when I think of my art goals and am feeling stuck.  

"Nothing is impossible to a willing heart."

by John Heywood

Pastel Painting - Beautiful Ladies

Trying to be bolder with my color choices - also trying to learn how to paint braids.  Need more practice!

Pastel Painting - Beautiful Ladies

Beautiful Ladies 

So instructor first wanted us to do our painting in soft pastels.  Below is the results.  I really like this lady.  She is very beautiful!

Once the soft pastel drawing was COMPLETELY FINISHED, the instructor told us to get water, a couple of paint brushes and to open our GESSO!!!  What??? Are you serious?  What does Gesso have to do with soft pastel paintings? 

Below is the completed results of using watered down Gesso.  I was nervous about using the Gesso full strength.  In this process, you dramatically overdo the intital lay down of colors, as the second stage will bring them back to a softer look.  The instructor was hoping that we would use a "painterly style" to build volume and leave visible brushstrokes.  I do have some visible brushstrokes although they may be hard to see in this photo.  

The painterly brushstrokes are pleasing because it leaves something to the viewer's imagination and we can see the hand of the artist more plainly.  Painting in this style is fun beause it allows for the implusive use of color and an unrestrained painting manner!

Too. Much. Fun.!

Other People's Words That Move Me

From the movie "Thelma and Louise"

"We're not in the middle of nowhere, but we can see it from here."

HUH?

Watercolors

Watercolors on Yupo Paper

Flowers

2016

Alaska - I've Been Everywhere Man, I've Been Everywhere (Almost)!

Watercolors on Yupo Paper 

2016

this painting is from a photo I took cruising through Alaska in 2015.  

Glacier Bay

Late Night Sketching - Beautiful Ladies

Watercolor and Ink with Zentangles

Late night sketching and painting on Canson MultiMedia Paper

Sea and Beach Glass

Another new addiction! 

Sea and Beach Glass

oh what fun learning all about this new adventure!

I can hardly read enough about this!  Fasinating to me!

Just gotta get to the sea or beach!

Have you experienced the thrill of finding a deliciously-frosty and perfectly-tumbled piece of sea or beach glass?

Each piece will be an exciting find. Can hardly wait for this new journey to begin!

YUMMMMMM

Downright YUM 

and makes my home smell like the Fall season!

Oatmeal raisin pecan cookie bar!

Preparation:  make same as you would cookies but instead of cookies pressed batter in a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes.  It is advisable that you cool BEFORE eating! (its a funny!). 

Canada - I've Been Everywhere Man, I've Been Everywhere! (Almost)

Montreal, Canada 2015

We took a cruise which ended in Montreal, Canada.  It was October and perfect timing to catch the beautiful foliage.  Also some snow!

This little country church was absolutely beautiful.  I want to draw/paint this little church.

Notre Dame in downtown Montreal, and within walking distance from our hotel. 

A square in Montreal - very cold, and some snow flurries.  Did a little Christmas shopping while we were there.  

Many, many beautiful gardens surround their city buildings.  

Zentangle and Mandela

Are you aware that the drawing of a Zentangle or Mandela will increase your creativity levels. 

Test it, give it a try!

Day Dreaming . . .

You may say I'm a DREAMER but I'm not the only one . . . .  .

Pastel Painting - Beautiful Ladies

Very beautiful lady and the way she is tilting her head to the side.  A new view to draw from  I am stepping out of my comfort zone with this.  I usually just do front/straight ahead portraits.  

A Moonlit Night - Watercolor and Ink

Watercolors and Ink

Zentangles, too!

Sennelier Watercolour Paper 

140 lb

2016

Italy - I've Been Everywhere Man - I've Been Everywhere (almost)

21 day Tour of Italy.  All over the countryside other than Silicy. 

Just a few of the hundreds of photos we took.  This was my all time dream vacation since my focus in  graduate school was in the Italian Renaissance.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa 

The Colosseum (Rome)

Brunelleschi's Famous Duomo (Florence)

Juliett's Balcony (Romeo, Romeo Where Art Thou)

Gladiators!

Lake Como (home of George Clooney!)

Donetallo's David (Florence - outside the Medici home)

St. Peter's - The Vatican

Hubby and I in front of The Trevi Fountain

Chicago - I've Been Everywhere Man - I've Been Everywhere (almost) . . . .

CHICAGO 2014

The Museum of Science and Industry (that's hubby in that there astronaut suit)!

The Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art (Obama gave $1M to this museum)! and the Art Institute of Chicago

Deep Dish Pizza Chicago Style!

A photo shot as hubby and I stand under the "bean".  

France - I've Been Everywhere Man, I've Been Everywhere (Almost) . . . .

Labyrinth Visit While Traveling Through France April 2016

This is the world's famous Gothic Cathedral - Chartres!

This is the Labrynith inside the cathedral where pilgrimages were made hundreds of years ago, or tourists (like me) can walk in their own spiritual pilgrimage.  

The Art of Natural Dye + Book Making - Another Finished Book!

Very happy with the end results of this art book.  The pictures are not in order as completion but I will label each.

Stitching on bric brack to fancy up the plain yellow (tumeric dye) cover.  Also added a flower shaped button and a green center bead, along with a chord.  

Finished the hand sewing of the bric brac.  Happy with the results. 

Decided to add some tiny beading for additional jazz!

Finished the beading and decided to add beads to the wrap around chording.

Just so you know, I stitched in four signatures (page groups) of three pages each!  A total of 48 pages to sketch on, write on, paint on, or just leave empty to enjoy the dyed paper appearance!

Here I am showing you a center page that has been sewed and knotted with the Japanese Stab Binding technique.

Here is a side view of the sewing technique.  Hopefully you can see this well.